LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 
Deceived      /7' 1*3/7^        , 

< 

Accessions  No. (3.  CLns  No. 


NEW 
ROADS  AND   ROAD  LAWS 


IN   THE 


UNITED   STATES 


ROY   STONE 

/  * 

VICE-PRESIDENT  NATIONAL  LEAGUE  FOR  GOOD  ROADS,  AND  IT.  S.  SPECIAL  AGENT 
AND  ENGINEER  FOR  ROAD  INQUIRY,  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE 


NEW  YORK 

D.    VAN    NOSTRAND    COMPANY 

23  MURRAY  AND  27  WARREN  STREETS 

1894 


COPYRIGIIT,  1894, 
BY  D.  VAN  NOSTEAND  COMPANY, 


TYPOGRAPHY  BY  ].  S.  GUSHING  &  Co.,  BOSTON. 


PREFACE. 


THE  greater  portion  of  the  material  for  this  work  was 
gathered  before  the  establishment  of  the  Government  In- 
quiry into  "  Systems  of  Eoad  Management  in  the  United 
States,"  and  when  the  writer  took  charge  of  that  inquiry, 
it  was  thought  best,  iiVview  of  the  urgent  demand  for  a 
publication  of  this  character  and  the  delay  involved  in 
organizing  the  inquiry  and  making  a  proper  digest  of  its 
results  for  publication,  to  carry  out  the  original  intention, 
and  publish,  in  a  private  form,  the  information  already  at 
hand,  and  such  additional  matter  as  might  come  in  through 
the  inquiry  or  otherwise  during  the  preparation  of  the 
volume  for  the  press.  In  addition  to  supplying  a  present 
need,  it  is  hoped  that  this  book  may  still  further  stimulate 
public  interest  in  the  subject,  and  thus  promote  the  success 
of  the  official  inquiry. 

The  demand  for  information  on  this  subject  generally 
relates  — 

First,  To  the  new  legislation  for  road  improvement  and 
the  working  of  that  legislation  ; 

Second,  To  the  cost  and  methods  of  road  construction; 

Third,  To  the  effects  of  road  improvement  where  it 
has  been  accomplished. 

iii 


IV  PREFACE. 

Until  the  organization  of  the  National  League  for  Good 
Roads,  no  serious  attempt  appears  to  have  been  made  to 
gather  this  information  in  the  United  States. 

By  means  of  the  Consular  Reports  a  knowledge  of  for- 
eign road-making  has  been  widely  spread,  but  the  densest 
ignorance  still  prevails  in  respect  to  our  home  efforts  and 
their  results. 

This  work  attempts  only  to  give  a  condensed  account 
of  recent  progress  in  American  road-making,  with  details 
of  the  examples  which  have  been  most  conspicuously 
successful,  together  with  some  suggestions  for  legislation 
and  for  road  construction. 

New  developments  succeed  each  other  rapidly  in  this 
field :  since  the  body  of  this  book  was  in  type,  committees 
of  the  New  York  State  Legislature  and  Boards  of  Super- 
visors have  visited  the  State  Aid  Road  Districts  of  New 
Jersey,  and  on  their  return  have  passed  a  State  Aid  law 
through  the  lower  house  by  a  vote  of  four  to  one. 

This  visit  and  its  result  have  been  widely  discussed,  and 
another  winter  will  see  a  movement  for  State  Aid  in  many 
States ;  for  the  visitors  have  spread  far  and  wide  the  news 
of  farming  communities  actually  getting  rich  in  these  hard 
times,  and  attributing  their  prosperity  entirely  to  their 

good  roads. 

ROY   STONE. 
WASHINGTON,  D.C.,  May  4,  1894. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.   Recent  Progress  in  Road  Improvement 1 

II.   The  Government  Road  Inquiry 19 

III.  The  New  Roads  of  Canandaigua,  N.Y 35 

IV.  Modern  Kentucky  Road-Building 43 

V.   Connecticut  Roads 40 

VI.   Cheap  Stone  Roads  in  Virginia,  Michigan,  New  Jersey, 

and  Maryland 50 

VII.   Ineffective  County  Road  Laws.  —  Local  Option  Law  of 

New  Jersey 55 

VIII.   Proposed  Amendments  to  the  New  Jersey  Road  Law     .  59 

IX.   Further  Modification  of  the  Same  Law  suggested  ...  62 

X.   State  Aid,  and  the  Method  of  giving  it 69 

XI.   Another  Form  of  State  Aid.  —  Convict  Labor    ....  74 

XII.    What  the  Railroads  will  do  for  the  Highways    ....  81 

XIII.  Road  Materials  in  the  United  States      .......  87 

XIV.  The  Best  Road  for  a  Farming  District 91 

XV.   The  Best  Construction  for  a  Narrow  Hard  Road.  —  Some 

Farm  Roads  in  Illinois 94 

XVI.   Treatment  of  Sandy  Roads 97 

XVII.   Treatment  of  Dirt  Roads 101 

XVIII.   Wide  Tires 103 

XIX.  The  Report  of  the  Ohio  Road  Commission 109 

XX.   Farmers  and  the  Roads 114 

XXI.   The  Wheelmen's  Campaign  for  Roads 118 

XXII.   The  Attitude  of  Commercial  Organizations 120 

XXIII.   Road-Building  and  the  Revival  of  Business   .  123 


VI  CONTENTS. 

APPENDIX. 

PAGE 

Abstracts  of  New  Koad  Laws  in  Sixteen  States 139 

Proposed  Law  for  State  Aid  in  New  York      .              ......  147 

Proposed  State  Aid  in  Pennsylvania      .     . 151 

State  Highway  Commission.    Law  of  Massachusetts,  1893  .     .     .  154 
State  Engineer  Department.     Law  proposed  by  the  Maryland 

Road  League 161 

Free  Road  Materials  by  Convict  Labor. 

1.  Laws  of  Delaware,  Chap.  670,  1893    .     .  163 

2.  Proposed  Law  in  Iowa .  166 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 

Stone  Road,  Canandaigua,  N.Y.     . 35 

Canandaigua  Roads .  40 

Mud  Road  at  End  of  Stone  Road,  Canandaigua,  N.  Y 43 

Country  Road,  Alexandria  County,  Va ...  50 

Washington  and  Alexandria  Turnpike,  March,  1894  .  54 

Church  Road,  Camden  County,  N.J .62 

Transverse  Sections  of  New  Jersey  Telf ord  Roads      ...          .66 

Church  Road,  Camden  County,  N.  J.,  before  Macadamizing    .     .  68 

Road-Building  in  North  Carolina,  Blowing  up  Stumps    ....  80 

Cross-Sections  of  Narrow  Stone  Roads 96 

Judge  Caton's  Farm  Roads  in  Illinois    ...         97 

Church  Road,  One  Mile  East  of  Merchantville 114 

Farm  Teams  on  their  Way  to  Market   ....          .....  117 

Road-Building  in  North  Carolina 123 

vii 


CHAPTER  I. 

RECENT  PROGRESS  IN  ROAD  IMPROVEMENT. 

THE  task  of  transforming  a  million  miles,  or  more, 
of  bad  roads  into  good  ones,  a  task  which  involved  the 
disruption  of  century  old  systems,  the  development  of 
new  lines  of  legislation  in  all  the  States  of  our  Union, 
and,  in  many,  even  the  changing  of  their  constitutions, 
and  which  has  threatened  to  require  an  expenditure 
running  into  billions,  has  commonly  been  deemed  so 
vast  and  difficult  as  to  be  utterly  hopeless ;  but  it  sud- 
denly appears  that  the  few  good  citizens  who  have  had 
the  courage  to  attempt  it,  here  and  there,  have  reason 
to  be  astonished  at  their  own  success.  Not  only  have 
the  ways  and  means  been  found  without  oppression  to 
the  taxpayer,  but  the  actual  cost  of  good  road-making 
has  been  brought  far  below  the  early  estimates.  Sixteen 
States  have  passed  new  road  laws,  more  or  less  radical 
in  their  nature,  and  one  has  amended  its  constitution 
to  permit  the  adoption  of  such  laws.  Many  hundreds 
of  miles  of  good  roads  have  already  been  built,  in  local- 
ities widely  separated,  under  varying  conditions  and 
through  various  methods  of  administration,  finance,  and 
construction. 


Z  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

It  is  therefore  no  longer  necessary  to  go  abroad  for 
instruction  in  this  reform,  but,  on  the  other  hand, 
highly  necessary  to  learn  what  is  being  done  at  home ; 
the  country  is  so  vast,  that  what  is  done  and  well  done 
in  one  section  is  often  unknown  or  misunderstood  in 
another,  and  each  community  has,  so'  far  as  regards 
the  experience  of  others,  wrought  mostly  in  the  dark. 
Some  recent  developments  of  the  road  movement  tend, 
however,  to\vard  a  thorough  investigation  of  the  subject, 
and  a  wide  diffusion  of  the  knowledge  so  gained. 

In  Chicago  a  year  ago  last  October,  in  the  midst  of 
the  universal  excitement  and  enthusiasm  which  attended 
the  opening  ceremonies  of  the  Great  Fair,  and  the  dedi- 
cation of  the  White  City,  a  representative  body  of  men 
coming  from  all  parts  of  the  land,  and  from  every  walk 
in  life,  drew  aside  from  the  contemplation  of  the  tri- 
umphs of  American  civilization  to  counsel  together  on 
one  great  reproach  to  that  civilization,  —  the  condition 
of  the  common  roads  of  the  country.  In  this  gathering 
there  were  delegates  from  all  the  existing  State  organi- 
zations for  road  improvement,  from  many  Boards  of 
Trade  and  Agriculture,  from  Agricultural  Colleges  and 
Universities,  and  from  Farmers'  Clubs  and  Wheelmen's 
Leagues,  besides  many  individual  leaders  in  the  general 
movement.  No  more  harmonious  assemblage  ever  dis- 
cussed a  public  question.  Each  speaker  presented  only 
a  varied  phase  of  the  same  picture  of  the  country's  need 
and  its  opportunity. 

One  said :  "  Columbus  discovered  America  in  vain  if, 
after  four  hundred  years,  we  are  still  behind  the  ancient 


PROGRESS  IN  ROAD  IMPROVEMENT,       3 

Peruvians  in  one  of  the  elements  of  civilization,  and  are 
not  ashamed  of  it;  a  people  not  yet  emerged  from  bar- 
barism, with  no  written  language,  and  no  means  of 
record  or  communication  better  than  a  knotted  string, 
yet  possessing  a  system  of  roads  which  astonished  their 
Spanish  conquerors  more  than  all  the  other  marvels  of 
that  marvellous  land." 

"  A  Spanish  writer  of  the  day  pictured  the  Great  Road 
from  Quito  to  Cuzco  in  this  lofty  language :  4 1  believe 
that  in  all  the  history  of  man  there  has  been  no  account 
of  such  grandeur  as  is  to  be  seen  in  this  road,  which 
passes  over  deep  valleys  and  lofty  mountains,  by  snowy 
heights,  over  falls  of  water,  through  live  rocks,  and 
along  the  edges  of  furious  torrents ;  in  all  places  level 
and  paved;  along  mountain  slopes  terraced;  through  the 
living  rock  cut;  along  the  river  banks  supported  by 
walls ;  in  the  snowy  heights  with  steps  and  resting- 
places  ;  in  all  parts  ten  paces  wide,  clean  swept,  clear  of 
stones,  and,  at  intervals,  post-houses  and  storehouses 
and  temples  of  the  Sun.'  " 

Another  speaker  said :  "  A  strange  apathy  has  fallen 
upon  the  country,  and  a  strange  paralysis  upon  the  gov- 
ernment, since  the  time  when  the  Fathers  of  the  Republic 
declared  it  the  duty  of  Congress  to  bind  the  Republic 
together  with  roads  and  canals" 

A  well-known  Western  editor  said :  "  The  building 
of  the  needed  highways  of  the  land  is  of  no  less 
consequence  to  America  in  the  development  of  its 
resources  than  the  building  of  its  200,000  miles  of 
railroad.  Fortunately  for  all  interests  involved, 


4  NEW  ROADS  AND  EGAD  LAWS. 

magnitude  of  the  undertaking  does  not  appall  any  one, 
but  the  whole  country,  without  excepting  the  smallest 
fragment,  favors  the  good  work.  There  is  not  an  insti- 
tution of  learning,  from  the  highest  university  to  the 
primary  school,  but  teachers  and  pupils  favor  good 
roads.  If  money  talks,  every  dollar  in  the  land  is» 
speaking  a  good  word  for  better  roads.  It  is  an  object 
which  permeates  all  society,  without  room  for  an  un- 
friendly thought.  It  concerns  every  phase  of  religious 
belief,  but  steers  clear  of  sectarianism.  It  takes  com- 
plete possession  of  all  politics,  but  avoids  all  parties. 
In  a  word,  the  continent  is  solid  for  good  roads." 

"  How  shall  they  be  built?  To  answer  this,  the  most 
important  question  which  can  come  before  the  Ameri- 
can people  in  the  next  century  is  the  scope,  object, 
and  purpose  of  the  National  Road  League  which  this 
National  Convention  is  assembled  to  organize." 

The  Secretary  of  the  Iowa  Road  Improvement  Asso- 
ciation, after  describing  the  waste- and  losses  due  to  bad 
roads,  said:  *' Build  permanent  country  roads,  passable 
during  twelve  months  in  the  year,  and  these  adverse 
conditions  disappear.  The  farmer  sells  his  grain  or 
stock  when  prices  tempt  him;  he  delivers  when  his 
other  duties  permit  without  sacrifice  of  time ;  he  buys  his 
supplies  on  rainy  days,  emancipated  from  the  spasmodic 
and  uncertain  market ;  he  reforms  his  methods  and  the 
character  of  his  farming,  raising  a  greater  variety  of 
crops,  fruits,  vegetables,  and  dairy  products,  many  of 
them  perishable  with  uncertain  and  bad  roads,  but 
profitable  with  good  roads  open  every  day  in  the  year. 


PROGRESS  IN  ROAD  IMPROVEMENT.  5 

His  lands,  as  a  result  of  this  diversity  in  farming, 
increase  in  fertility  and  in  value,  and  he  becomes  a 
prosperous  social  being. 

"The  merchant  can  then  engage  in  business  with  less 
capital  and  can  carry  smaller  stocks  of  goods.  He 
ceases  to  become  an  enforced  money-lender  to  the 
farmer,  as  he  is  when  he  sells  on  credit,  and  in  turn  he 
meets  his  own  obligations  promptly  and  in  cash.  The 
manufacturer  and  jobber  distribute  throughout  the  year 
instead  of  in  seasons,  thereby  releasing  much  of  their 
capital  for  other  enterprises.  The  railroad  company 
cuts  down  its  investment  in  useless  rolling-stock,  if 
freed  from  the  congestion  of  spasmodic  transportation, 
and  performs  its  duties  toward  its  patrons  without  fric- 
tion, promptly  and  efficiently,  and  with  the  resultant 
good-will  of  the  entire  public." 

The  President  of  the  American  Bankers'  Association 
said:  "The  distressingly  improvident  and  wasteful 
condition  of  the  common  roads  of  the  United  States, 
that  are  quagmires  half  of  the  year  and  beds  of  dust  the 
other  half,  and  the  great  necessity  for  their  improve- 
ment, are  becoming  universally  recognized.  The  people 
are  at  last  beginning  to  realize  that  bad  roads  annually 
entail  losses  that  in  magnitude  are  beyond  computation, 
and  that  their  permanent  improvement  would  yearly 
affect  the  saving  of  untold  millions  to  the  nation. 

"  There  is  no  man,  woman,  or  child  in  the  land  that 
has  not  a  personal  interest  in  the  question  of  better 
roads.  There  is  no  article  produced,  imported,  or 
exported,  the  cost  of  which  is  not  in  some  degree 


6  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD   LAWS. 

affected  by  the  character  of  the  common  roads  over 
which  it  is  transported  from  the  field,  the  mine,  the 
mill,  or  the  ship,  to  the  user  or  consumer;  and  the 
worse  the  roads  over  which  it  is  transported,  the  less  it 
yields  the  producer,  and  the  more  it  costs  the  user  or 
consumer;  and  the  loss  thus  borne  year  after  year  by 
the  entire  people  of  the  nation  is  so  enormous  that  it 
cannot  even  be  reasonably  approximated. 

"While  the  vast  improvement  and  extensions  of  rail- 
ways, and  the  increase  in  number,  size,  and  means  of 
propulsion  of  vessels  have  reduced  the  cost  of  transpor- 
tation by  rail  and  water  to  a  minimum,  the  cost  of 
transportation  over  our  common  roads  means  practically 
the  same  at  near  the  close  of  the  world's  greatest  cen- 
tury of  progress  in  other  means  of  transportation  as  it 
was  at  its  beginning.  It  costs  less  to  transport  com- 
modities across  the  continent  by  rail,  or  from  continent 
to  continent  by  water,  than  it  does  over  a  single  mile 
of  some  of  our  common  roads  during  nearly  half  the 
year." 

The  outcome  of  this  notable  gathering  was  the  incep- 
tion of  the  NATIONAL  LEAGUE  FOR  GOOD  ROADS,  and 
that  organization  was  so  well  established  by  the  follow- 
ing winter  that  it  Avas  able  to  hold  a  convention  in 
Washington,  with  more  than  half  the  States  of  the 
Union  represented. 

The  Press  of  the  country  was  constant  and  earnest  in 
its  aid  of  the  movement,  its  columns  containing  many 
such  articles  as  the  following:  — 

"  The  National  League  for  Good  Roads  is  wasting  no 


PROGRESS   IN   ROAD   IMPROVEMENT.  1 

time  nor  letting  any  circumstance  delay  its  work. 
Amid  the  tumult  of  the  Columbian  celebration  at 
Chicago  it  brought  together  a  large  and  interested  body 
of  practical  men  for  formal  organization;  and  to-day, 
amid  the  culminating  excitement  of  the  presidential 
campaign,  its  executive  committee  meets  in  this  capital 
to  perfect  plans  for  extending  its  work  immediately  into 
every  school  district  of  the  United  States.  The  object 
of  the  League  should  enlist  the  sympathy  and  co-opera- 
tion, as  its  personal  composition  commands  the  confi- 
dence, of  all  public -spirited  citizens;  without  which, 
indeed,  its  success  will  not  be  easily  attained.  To 
provide  the  nation  with  good  roads  is  a  stupendous 
undertaking;  but,  in  the  way  the  League  indicates,  it 
can  be  accomplished,  and  it  should  be  and  must  be 
accomplished." — N.  Y.  Tribune. 

"It  is  a  remarkable  evidence  of  the  hold  which  the 
good  roads  reform  has  upon  the  American  people,  that 
in  the  midst  of  the  absorbing  festivities  of  Columbus 
week  it  was  possible  to  hold  a  large  and  enthusiastic 
meeting  at  Chicago  in  its  interests.  The  gathering  at 
Central  Music  Hall  contained  prominent  representatives 
of  many  States  and  many  industries  from  East  and 
West,  North  and  South.  To  the  promoters  of  the  good 
roads  movement  is  due  the  honor  of  inaugurating  a 
reform  which  is  bound  before  long  to  enlist  the  best  and 
most  powerful  elements  of  our  population." —  Chicago 
Post. 

"  Good  roads  mean  blessings  of  untold  value 


sections  where  bad  roads  are  at  present  the  rale.     The 


8  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

improvement  of  the  public  highways  will  tend  to  largely 
augment  the  benefit  of  railway  communication,  will 
bring  the  farmers  and  merchants  into  closer  relations, 
will  shorten  the  distance  to  markets,  will  save  an 
immense  amount  of  wear  and  tear  to  vehicles  and  stock, 
will  help  trade,  help  commerce,  help  education,  help 
investments,  help  everything  that  conduces  to  the  ma- 
terial welfare  of  the  people.  All  honor  and  success, 
therefore,  to  the  proposed  national  organization." 
Washington  Post. 

The  Washington  Convention  aroused  the  strongest 
interest  and  sympathy  in  all  departments  of  the  gov- 
ernment; and  many  senators,  members  of  Congress, 
and  executive  officials  attended  and  took  part  in  the 
deliberations. 

Senator  Manderson,  President  of  the  National  League, 
said:  "It  would  be  waste  of  time  for  any  one  in  this 
presence  to  speak  of  the  necessity  for  the  work  that  we 
are  engaged  in.  I  know  of,  no  subject  more  important 
than  the  bettering  of  the  roads  of  the  United  States. 
No  detailed  statement  of  the  deplorable  existing  condi- 
tion is  necessary.  We  know  the  fact  that  we  must  get 
out  of  the  present  methods  and  mend  our  ways  xthe 
country  over.  We  can  congratulate  ourselves  that 
there  is  such  widespread  interest  on  the  subject  of 
educating  the  people  for  their  own  good.  The  IICAVS- 
papers  all  over  have  taken  up  the  matter  and  have 
created  such  interest  that  in  some  localities  better  roads 
have  already  resulted.  It  was  a  source  of  very  great 
pleasure  to  me  that  in  the  county  of  Douglas,  in  which 


PROGRESS  IN  ROAD  IMPROVEMENT.  9 

I  live,  in  the  State  of  Nebraska,  largely  as  the  result  of 
the  agitation  of  this-  question  by  the  newspapers,  the 
people  have  already  started  to  build  better  roads,  and 
have  in  that  county  voted  $150,000,  to  be  issued  in 
bonds,  the  proceeds  to  be  expended  for  that  purpose. 
This  experience  has  been  repeated  all  over  the  land." 

Among  the  remarks  made  by  other  speakers  were  the 
following:  — 

By  Senator  Chandler:  "  Mr.  Chairman  and  gentlemen 
of  the  National  League  for  Good  Roads :  I  am  glad  to 
say  a  few  words  on  this  important  subject.  It  is  one 
that  deeply  interests  my  own  State.  I  am  here  at  the 
request  of  Governor  John  B.  Smith,  who  has  just  been 
inaugurated*  and  of  Ex- Governors  David  H.  Goodell 
(vice-president  of  your  League  for  the  State  of  New 
Hampshire)  and  Hiram  A.  Tuttle,  all  of  whom  take  a 
warm  interest  in  this  subject. 

"  The  question  of  good  roads  in  New  Hampshire  has 
connected  itself  with  that  of  forestry,  because,  in  order 
to  keep  New  Hampshire  prominent,  as  we  know  it  now 
is,  among  the  summer  resorts  of  the  United  States,  it  is 
necessary  for  us  not  only  to  have  good  highways  and 
good  roads,  giving  easy  access  to  our  natural  scenery, 
but  we  must  preserve  our  forests  and  our  watercourses. 

"  Now,  the  first  thing  that  we  have  thought  of  has  been 
to  abolish  working  out  the  taxes,  because  the  towns  do 
not  get  full  advantage  of  the  money  that  is  voted  under 
the  existing  system.  .We  expect  to  be  instructed  by 
the  National  League  for  Good  Roads  as  to  other  meas- 
ures for  improving  the  roads  of  our  State." 


10  NEW  EOADS  AND   ROAD   LAWS. 

Regarding  action  by  Congress,  the  Senator  said: 
"Therefore,  gentlemen,  state  what  you  want  Congress 
to  do.  Either  a  national  commission  should  be  ap- 
pointed, or  the  Secretary  of  Agriculture  should  be 
authorized  to  make  investigation  and  ascertain  the 
needs  of  the  country  and  the  best  methods  of  improving 
our  roads,  and  the  aid  of  the  National  Government 
should  be  in  other  ways  invoked  to  arouse  our  people 
to  the  necessities  which  are  upon  the  country  in  con- 
nection with  improving  roads.  Beyond  that,  as  to  what 
should  be  asked  of  Congress,  I  desire  to  be  instructed. 
I  know  I  express  the  sentiment,  not  only  of  myself,  but 
of  the  chairman,  Senator  Manderson,  and  of  General 
P.  S.  Post,  whom  I  see  here,  and  of  many  other  senators 
and  representatives,  when  I  say  that  if  you  will  state 
in  what  way  you  think  the  aid  of  Congress  ought  to 
be  invoked  in  this  work,  assuming  the  request  to  be 
reasonable,  we  will  do  all  we  can  to  assist  in  accom- 
plishing your  wishes." 

By  the  Secretary  of  Agriculture,  Hon.  J.  M.  Rusk: 
"The  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture  is  in  full 
sympathy  with  this  movement.  It  ought  to  be,  as  ^  the 
national  representative  of  the  agricultural  interest.  A 
clollar  saved  in  transportation  is  a  dollar  added  to  net 
production.  What  shall  the  farmer  do  with  his  surplus 
product,  and  why  raise  this  surplus,  if  his  way  to  the 
outside  world  is  barred  by  impassable  highways,  or 
obstructed  by  obstacles  which  increase  threefold  the 
expense  of  realizing  the  fruits  of  his  industry?  Can 
we  enlighten  him  by  showing  him  a  better  way  of 


PROGRESS  IN  ROAD   IMPROVEMENT.  11 

expending  the  taxes  levied  upon  him  for  the  improve- 
ment of  his  roads  ?  Can  we  show  him  such  a  system, 
well  driven  home  with  clear  persuasion  and  positive 
assurances,  as  will  induce  him  to  take  hold  of  the  sub- 
ject with  energy?  I  believe  that  the  time  is  ripe  to 
submit  this  matter  to  the  intelligence  of  the  American 
public.  There  should  be  a  unity  of  interest  between 
the  city  and  the  country.  The  city  is  almost  as  much 
interested  in  getting  good  roads  as  the  country  itself. 
To  the  country  it  means  enhanced  net  value  to  country 
products ;  to  the  city  it  means  a  greater  variety  and  no 
essential  increase  in  cost  to  the  consumer. 

"  No  one  man  can  improve  the  highways  of  a  neighbor- 
hood. All  must  act  together  in  behalf  of  their  common 
interest,  and  people  in  yielding  something  to  the  com- 
mon interest  will  in  the  end,  by  intelligent  co-operation 
and  systematic  methods,  be  the  recipients  of  benefits  far 
beyond  any  possible  results  arising  from  discordant  and 
uncompromising  individual  demands.  Every  person 
must  be  brought  to  see  this  and  be  induced  to  yield  his 
individual  interest  to  a  wider  range  of  road  improve- 
ment, and  to  a  single  system  wider  than  the  horizon  as 
seen  from  his  own  doorstep." 

By  Major  Sanger,  U.S.A.:  "I  am  not  a  delegate  to 
this  convention,  but  the  representative,  by  proxy,  of  a 
relative,  who  is  a  delegate  from  the  State  of  New  York. 
I  have  taken  advantage,  however,  of  my  temporary 
connection  with  the  convention  to  bring  the  objects  of 
the  Road  League  to  the  notice  of  the  military  authori- 
ties in  Washington,  and  it  affords  me  much  pleasure  to 


12  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

say  that  both  the  Secretary  of  War  and  the  Major- 
General  Commanding  the  Army  are  in  full  sympathy 
with  this  movement  in  behalf  of  good  country  roads, 
not  only  because  of  their  great  value  to  military  opera- 
tions, should  they  ever  be  necessary,  but  because  of 
their  effect  generally,  in  facilitating  intercourse  in 
those  sections  where  railroads  and  telegraphs  are  not 
relied  on,  as  yet,  for  communication.  I  have  been 
requested  by  the  Secretary  and  by  General  Schoneld  to 
assure  the  convention  of  their  wish  to  co-operate  with 
all  the  means  at  their  disposal,  and  to  request  the  con- 
vention to  point  out  to  them  in  what  way  this  can  be 
done  so  as  to  best  promote  the  objects  of  the  League. 
General  Schoneld  has  given  the  subject  of  roads  much 
consideration,  more  especially  those  along  our  Canadian 
border,  on  both  sides  of  the  line,  and  fully  appreciates 
their  importance,  no  matter  in  what  part  of  the  country 
they  may  be  situated.  As  you  are  doubtless  aware,  the 
army  has  been  for  years  the  pioneer  of  Western  emigra- 
tion in  this  country,  and  by  its  marches  and  the  posts 
it  has  built  has  been  largely  instrumental  in  determin- 
ing the  sites  of  our  Western  cities  and  the  main  lines  of 
communication  between  them.  It  is  my  belief  that  the 
intelligence  and  experience  of  the  army  can  be  made  a 
valuable  auxiliary  in  the  establishment  of  good  roads, 
and  I  am  quite  sure,  from  what  the  military  authorities 
have  said,  that  they  would  be  glad  to  use  them  for  that 
purpose." 

By  Judge    Thayer,   President  of   Iowa  State   Road 
Association:  "This  great  uprising  is  not  local.     It  is 


PROGRESS  IN  ROAD  IMPROVEMENT.  13 

as  broad  as  the  continent  and  foreshadows  the  grandest 
moral  and  physical  revolution  that  ever  aroused  a 
civilized  people.  It  means  a  nation  stirred  up  from 
centre  to  circumference. 

"  It  may  be  that  a  higher  education  in  road-making  is 
essential  to  a  proper  comprehension  of  the  movement 
which  is  covering  the  land.  But  I  cannot  believe  that 
is  the  case.  Never  since  the  foundation  stone  of  yonder 
Capitol  was  laid  has  there  been  any  long-continued 
period  but  object  lessons  in  bad  road-making  were  as 
familiar  to  the  person  who  walked  or  drove  a  team  as  is 
the  plough  to  the  husbandman.  Those  object  lessons 
exist  to-day  all  over  this  broad  land,  in  front  of  every 
farmer's  dooryard,  and  they  keep  him  company  on  every 
journey  he  makes  to  the  village  or  to  the  church ;  they 
stare  at  him  with  a  ghostly  glare  when  he  takes  his 
dead  to  the  burying-ground,  and  his  little  children 
trudge  homeward  from  the  schoolhouse  with  those 
lessons  the  most  impressive  of  all  they  learn. 

"  I  believe  the  education  is  complete.  Every  man  has 
his  fill.  He  has  drank  deep  at  the  fountain  of  that 
kind  of  knowledge.  Now  he  is  prepared  for  reform, 
and  if  he  is  ready  to  get  out  of  the  rut  as  well  as  the 
mud,  this  earthquake  which  is  waking  people  up  will 
keep  them  awake  until  the  good  roads  become  object 
lessons  that  put  the  finest  paintings  in  the  shade,  and 
the  bad  roads  become  forever  obsolete. 

"  The  education  complete,  then  comes  practical  road- 
making.  What  is  it?  How  is  it  done?  ,^'irh  confi- 
dent that  to  carry  on  road-making  on  an  e£iensive  scale 

:  ,  •*-!       ^'     ^ 

,«  V    <?„•- 

'         >  T-? 

C- 


14  NEW  ROADS  AND   ROAD  LAWS. 

as  would  be  wise  or  prudent  will  not  require  an  increase 
of  taxation.  The  average  taxpayer  has  a  greater  horror 
of  adding  more  taxes  to  his  burdens  than  he  has  of 
adding  to  his  roads  more  mud.  He  will  be  an  enthusi- 
ast in  favor  of  better  roads;  he  will  take  a  front  seat 
at  road  meetings  and  applaud  every  reference  to  road 
reform,  but  when  it  comes  to  suggesting  more  taxes  he 
feels  like  rising  up,  taking  his  hat,  and  hunting  a  little 
fresh  air.  He  is  no  longer  in  it.  He  wants  to  be 
counted  out.  Nor  do  I  blame  him.  Not  that  taxes  are 
unreasonably  high,  considering  the  blessings  and  advan- 
tages the  people  derive  from  the  institutions  of  the 
land,  which  must  flourish  to  a  certain  extent  by  means 
of  taxation,  but  in  this  matter  of  good  road  taxes  he  has 
gotten  into  a  rut,  and  nothing  so  nicely  fits  the  wheel 
as  the  rut;  and  unless  there  is  something  just  as  good, 
without  additional  time,  trouble,  or  expense  to  reach 
it,  he  prefers  to  jog  along  in  the  old  groove  to  the  end 
of  the  chapter  or  the  road.  But  fortunately  the  tax- 
payer can  throw  up  both  hands  for  road  improvements 
and  enter  the  arena  of  road  reform  with  his  coat  off  and 
his  heart  and  hands  earnestly  in  the  work,  and  be  satis- 
fied without  a  scruple  of  doubt  that  the  better  roads  the 
whole  country  is  advocating  may  come  with  taxation 
reduced  rather  than  increased. 

"Not  only  must  there  be  a  radical  change  in  the 
manner  of  paying  road  taxes,  but  the  money  thus  paid 
must  be  expended  in  a  different  way.  The  local  method 
of  building  roads  must  in  a  great  measure  be  aban- 
doned. The  next  generation  must  be  asked  to  help 


PROGRESS   IN  ROAD   IMPROVEMENT.  15 

bear  the  expense  of  building  the  roads  which  the  next 
generation  will  enjoy.  To  do  this,  the  road  taxes  need 
not  be  increased,  but  use  the  taxes  to  pay  the  interest 
on  loans  for  money  advanced  to  build  good  roads 
economically  and  on  an  extensive  scale. 

"  Construct  roads  on  the  same  plan  whereby  the  great 
enterprises  of  this  land  have  been  built  up.  If  it  is 
thought  the  best  policy  to  limit  road-building  to  a 
county,  and  not  make  the  State  the  chief  factor,  provide 
that  all  the  road  taxes  shall  be  paid  into  the  treasury, 
and,  instead  of  being  used  in  the  repairing  of  the  roads 
already  built,  devote  the  larger  portion  to  building 
permanent  roads  and  the  rest  to  repairs.  If  there 
should  be  a  prejudice  in  any  county  against  borrowing 
money  on  long-time  bonds  at  a' low  rate  of  interest  and 
spending  the  money  as  rapidly  as  it  can  be  done  to 
advantage,  and  using  the  taxes  to  pay  the  interest  and 
creating  a  sinking  fund  to  pay  the  principal  when  due, 
then  adopt  a  plan  for  building,  with  the  annual  taxes,  a 
certain  number  of  miles  of  good  road  every  year.  Dif- 
ferent communities  will  have  different  views  as  to 
which  policy  it  is  best  to  pursue.  But  it  is  well 
enough  to  bear  in  mind  that  the  larger  number  of  the 
great  improvements  in  this  country  have  been  brought 
about  on  borrowed  money.  One  man  never  undertakes 
to  build  a  railroad.  For  one  man,  or  even  one  com- 
munity, to  undertake  to  build  so  much  of  a  railroad  as 
runs  through  his  or  its  school  district  would  be  a  slow 
method  of  building  trunk  lines  of  railroads.  It  might 
be  done  that  way  in  time,  but  railroads  have  not  been 


16  NEW  ROADS  A$D   ROAD  LAWS. 

constructed  in  that  way.  The  vast  railroad  system  of 
this  country  is  the  work  of  the  ablest  financial  geniuses, 
the  best  skilled  engineers,  the  most  successful  business 
men  the  century  has  produced,  and  I  believe  that 
to-day,  without  loans  on  bonds,  there  would  be  less 
than  20,000  miles  of  road  where  there  are  200,000 
miles.  Other  great  industries  conducted  on  a  colossal 
scale,  and  which  are  the  pride  and  boast  of  the  nation, 
owe  their  success  to  a  combination  of  purses  advancing 
money  to  be  repaid  in  the  future. 

"So  it  is  no  unexplored  field  I  take  the  public  into 
when  I  ask  it  to  enter  upon  a  system  of  road-making 
that  shall  equal  any  undertaking  in  which  the  country 
has  ever  engaged,  not  excepting  the  building  of  nearly 
200,000  miles  of  railroad. 

"With  the  work  undertaken  on  a  large  scale,  the 
railroads  will  become  an  important  factor  in  road- 
inaking,  as  it  would  be  to  their  interest  to  haul  the 
material  at  the  cost  of  the  service.  The  prison  labor 
could  be  utilized,  because  it  would  pay  the  State  to  put 
the  prisoners  at  work  at  such  places  where  stone  quarries 
were  extensive,  or  at  points  where  stone  in  the  rough 
could  be  delivered  at  nominal  cost,  and  make  them 
central  points  from  which  the  railroads  would  distribute 
the  broken  stone  into  sections  of  the  State  where  there 
are  no  such  quarries. 

"  Western  cities  are  engaged  in  a  general  system  of 
paving  streets.  They  would  not  do  this  in  any  other 
way  than  the  issuing  of  improvement  bonds  to  run 
several  years.  The  burden  falls  lightly  on  the  shoul- 


PROGRESS  IN  ROAD   IMPROVEMENT.  17 

ders  of  each  property-owner,  and  the  cities  have  the  use 
of  the  paved  streets  years  in  advance  of  the  all-cash- 
down  system. 

"But  the  cities  are  as  much  interested  as  the  countrv 

J 

in  good  roads,  and  they  are  willing  to  bear  a  share  of 
such  improvements.  In  order  that  they  should  have  an 
opportunity  to  help  on  the  work,  the  State  should  all 
the  more  contribute  a  certain  amount  for  each  mile  of 
standard  road  built  to  be  paid  out  of  the  general  fund." 
The  Committee  on  Agriculture  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  being  invited  to  meet  the  convention, 
sent  the  following  reply :  — 

"COMMITTEE    ON    AGRICULTURE, 

"  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES,  U.S. 

"  Washington,  D.C.,  January  18,  1893. 

"GEN.  ROY  STONE, 

"  General  Vice-President  and  Secretary  : 
"  SIR  :  Replying  to  your  kind  invitation  to  attend  your 
conference  at  11  A.M.  of  this  date,  the  Committee  on 
Agriculture  are  compelled  to  decline  on  account  of  lack 
of  time.  At  some  future  time  we  hope  to  be  able  to 
attend;  and  at  to-morrow's  session  at  11  o'clock  the 
committee  by  unanimous  vote  extend  an  invitation  to 
representatives  of  the  National  League  for  Good  Roads 
to  be  present,  and  present  the  matter  in  any  way  they 
may  deem  proper. 

"  Very  respectfully, 

"W.   H.   HATCH, 
"  Chairman  Committee  on  Agriculture." 


18  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

Agreeably  to  this  invitation,  a  large  delegation  waited 
upon  the  Committee ;  the  subject  of  national  aid  to  the 
movement  was  fully  discussed,  and,  as  a  result,  the 
Committee  inserted  in  their  appropriation  bill  the 
following  item :  - 

"To  enable  the  Secretary  of  Agriculture  to  make 
inquiries  in  regard  to  the  systems  of  road  management 
throughout  the  United  States,  to  make  investigations 
in  regard  to  the  best  method  of  road-making,  to  prepare 
publications  on  this  subject  suitable  for  distribution, 
and  to  enable  him  to  assist  the  agricultural  colleges  and 
experiment  stations  in  disseminating  information  on 
this  subject,  ten  thousand  dollars  ($  10, 000)." 

This  appropriation  becoming  available  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  present  fiscal  year,  the  Secretary  of  Agricul- 
ture on  the  3d-of  October,  1893,  instituted  the  office  of 
Road  Inquiry,  by  the  appointment  of  a  special  agent 
and  engineer  to  carry  out  the  wishes  of  Congress  in  the 
matter. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   GOVERNMENT   ROAD   INQUIRY. 

UPON  his  appointment,  the  officer  in  charge  of  the 
Road  Inquiry  received  the  following  instructions :  — 

"  SIR:  You  have  been  this  day  appointed  to  supervise 
and  carry  out  the  investigation  pursuant  to  the  Statute 
approved  March  3,  1893,  which  has  four  branches:  — 

"First:  To  make  inquiries  in  regard  to  the  systems 
of  road  management  throughout  the  United  States. 

"Second:  To  make  investigations  in  regard  to  the 
best  method  of  road-making. 

"  Third :  To  prepare  didactic  publications  on  this 
subject,  suitable  for  publication. 

"Fourth:  To  assist  the  agricultural  colleges  and  ex- 
periment stations  in  disseminating  information  on  this 
subject. 

"It  will  not  be  profitable  to  enter  upon  all  of  these 
points  at  first.  The  work  under  the  appropriation  will 
need  to  be  of  gradual  growth,  conducted  at  all  times 
economically.  Therefore  it  is  not  expected  that  there 
will  be  any  considerable  force  of  clerical  help,  and, 
aside  from  your  salary,  no  considerable  expenditure  for 

the  present.     It  is  understood  that  you  have  at  your 

19 


20  NEW  ROADS  AND   ROAD  LA  1VS. 

command,  the  data  for  a  compilation  of  the  laws  of 
several  of  the  States,  upon  which  their  road  systems  are 
based.  It  should  be  your  first  duty,  therefore,  to  make 
such  collection  complete,  and  prepare  a  bulletin  on  that 
subject. 

"Incidentally,  Avhile  preparing  this  bulletin,  you 
should  charge  yourself  with  collecting  data  relating  to 
different  methods  of  road-making,  which,  in  the  first 
instance,  should  be  generic  in  their  character;  includ- 
ing, - 

"  First :  The  best  method  of  constructing  a  common 
highway,  without  gravel  or  stone. 

"  Second :  Gravel  highways. 

"  Third :  Macadam,  and  other  stone  roads. 

"  Fourth :  Data  upon  which  to  base  suggestions  for 
the  transportation  of  material  within  reasonable  access, 
for  the  proper  surfacing  of  the  road-bed.  These  data 
should  form  the  foundation  for  the  second  bulletin,  or 
second  series  of  bulletins. 

"There  are  certain  restrictions  I  wish  specifically  to 
bring  to  your  attention.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that  the  actual  expense  in  the  construction  of  these 
highways  is  to  be  borne  by  the  localities  and  States  in 
which  they  lie.  Moreover,  it  is  not  the  province  of 
this  Department  to  seek  to  control  or  influence  said 
action,  except  in  so  far  as  advice  and  wise  suggestions 
shall  contribute  toward  it.  This  Department  is  to 
form  no  part  of  any  plan,  scheme,  or  organization,  or 
to  be  a  party  to  it  in  any  way,  which  has  for  its  object 
the  concerted  effort  to  secure  and  furnish  labor  to 


THE  GOVERNMENT  ROAD   INQUIRY.  21 

unemployed  persons,  or  to  convicts.  These  are  matters 
to  be  carried  on  by  States,  localities,  or  charities.  The 
Department  is  to  furnish  information,  not  to  direct  and 
formulate  any  system  of  organization,  however  efficient 
or  desirable  it  may  be.  Any  such  effort  on  its  part 
would  soon  make  it  subject  to  hostile  criticism.  You 
will  publish  this  letter  in  the  preface  to  your  first 

bulletin. 

"Yours  truly, 

"  J.  STERLING  MORTON, 
"Secretary." 

Upon  receipt  of  these  instructions  letters  of  inquiry 
were  prepared  and  sent :  — 

1.  To  the  Governors  of  all  the  States  and  Territories, 
as  follows :  — 

"The  Congress  of  the  United  States  having  made 
provision"  (here  follows  the  appropriation  as  above), 
"I  have  the  honor  to  request  your  Excellency's  aid  and 
co-operation  in  inaugurating  this  important  inquiry. 

"  The  information  regarding  foreign  roads  and  road- 
making  gathered  by  the  Department  of  State  through 
its  consular  representatives  has  proved  to  be  of  great 
value,  and  a  corresponding  home  inquiry  should  be  even 
more  profitable.  So  many  States  and  communities  are 
attempting  road  improvement,  and  so  many  others  are 
considering  it,  that  a  definite  knowledge  of  what  each 
has  proposed  or  accomplished  might  be  invaluable  to 
many  of  the  others.  Such  knowledge  can  be  practically 
reached  and  disseminated  only  through  a  central  agency, 


22  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

but  that  agency  will  need  the  assistance  of  all  the  State 
and  local  officials  concerned,  in  order  to  bring  its  work 
within  the  means  allotted  by  Congress  and  within  a 
proper  limit  of  time. 

"The  officer  in  charge  of  the  inquiry  has  therefore 
been  instructed  to  communicate  with  the  Secretaries  of 
State  of  the  several  States  on  the  subject,  and  the 
Department  would  respectfully  ask  your  Excellency,  if 
it  meets  with  your  approval,  to  give  your  sanction  to 
his  requests,  together  with  such  voluntary  aid  as  it  may 
be  in  your  power  to  give  or  procure,  and  will  be  further 
indebted  to  you  for  any  recommendations  or  suggestions 
regarding  sources  of  information  or  the  scope  of  the 
inquiry  itself,  which  is  yet  somewhat  undefined. 
"  I  have  the  honor  to  remain,  Sir, 
"  Yours  very  respectfully, 

"(Signed)  EDWIN  WILLITS, 
"Acting  Secretary." 

2.    To  the  Secretaries  of  State :  — 

"  SIR  :  The  act  of  Congress  making  appropriations  for 
this  Department  for  the  current  fiscal  year  contains  the 
following  provision :  — 

"To  enable"  (etc.,  as  before). 

"  The  scope  of  this  inquiry  corresponds  closely  with 
that  of  the  one  successfully  made  by  the  State  Depart- 
ment, through  its  consular  representatives,  into  the  road 
laws  and  methods  of  road  construction  in  foreign 
countries. 

"The    success    and   value    of   a   home    inquiry  will 


THE  GOVERNMENT  ROAD  INQUIRY.  23 

depend  much  upon  the  aid  given  it  by  the  various  State 
and  local  officials  who  have  been  concerned  in  road 
improvement.  I  have  the  honor,  therefore,  to  request 
your  co-operation  in  this  important  work,  to  the  extent 
at  least  of  furnishing  the  names  of  all  such  officials, 
and  of  any  individuals  who  may  in  your  judgment  be 
able  to  give  valuable  information  or  suggestions  per- 
taining to  the  subject. 

"  I  take  leave  also  to  ask  for  copies  of  all  recent  laws 
or  compilations  of  laws  bearing  upon  roads  and  high- 
ways. 

"As  the  inquiry  progresses,  the  Department  will  fur- 
nish you  with  copies  of  all  published  results." 


3.    To  Members  of  Congress :  — 

"DEAR  Sm:  In  pursuing  the  inquiry  into  'systems 
of  road  management '  and  4  methods  of  road-making, ' 
authorized  by  the  Fifty-second  Congress,  the  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture  desires  to  communicate  on  the 
subject  with  the  best- informed  authorities  and  private 
individuals  throughout  the  United  States,  and,  to  ex- 
pedite the  matter,  I  have  the  honor  to  request  your  aid 
in  procuring  the  names  of  all  counties  or  townships  in 
your  district  which  have  made  a  systematic  attempt  at 
modern  road  improvement,  and  also  the  names  and 
addresses  of  the  officials  and  of  some  of  the  individuals 
most  actively  concerned  in  such  improvement,  whether 
in  respect  to  legislation  or  road  construction. 

"If  you  are  personally  interested  in  the  subject,   I 


24  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

shall  be  glad  to  receive  any  further  information  or  sug- 
gestions from  you  pertaining  to  the  inquiry." 


4.    To  the  State  Geologists :  — 

"DEAR  SIR:  The  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture 
has  been  assured  of  the  general  and  hearty  co-operation 
of  the  State  Governments  in  the  inquiry  authorized  bv 
Congress  'into  the  systems  of  road  management  and  the 
best  methods  of  road  construction  throughout  the  United 
States  ' ;  and  as  one  of  the  most  important  branches  of 
the  inquiry  relates  to  road  materials,  and  thereby  comes 
within  your  province,  I  take  leave  to  ask  for  such  infor- 
mation on  that  head  as  you  may  be  able  to  give  — 
having  in  view  the  supply  not  only  of  your  own,  but  of 
adjacent  States  —  if  you  have  material  of  superior 
quality.  The  general  use  of  the  highest  class  of  mate- 
rials involves  the  cost  of  railway  transportation  for  most 
of  them,  but  the  Department  is  already  assured  by 
many  of  the  railway  companies  of  their  disposition  to 
accord  extremely  low  rates  on  such  traffic,  for  the 
encouragement  of  road-building;  and  if  this  action  be- 
comes general,  a  haul  of  one  hundred,  or  even  two  hun- 
dred miles,  may  not  be  prohibitory,  so  that  the  very  best 
roads  may  be  built  in  regions  which  have  no  local 
supply  of  material. 

"I  send,  herewith,  the  general  circular  of  inquirjT, 
and  shall  be  glad  to  receive  any  information  you  may 
be  able  to  give  or  obtain  on  other  branches  of  the 
subject." 


THE  GOVERNMENT  HOAD  INQUIRY.  25 

5.    To  Railroad  Presidents :  — 

"Srn:  The  Department  of  Agriculture  has  been  au- 
thorized by  Congress  to  make  inquiry  into  the  systems 
of  road  management  throughout  the  United  States,  and 
the  best  methods  of  road-making,  and  to  collect  and 
distribute  information  regarding  the  same. 

"The  interest  uniformly  shown  by  railway  managers 
in  the  improvement  of  highways  warrants  the  Depart- 
ment, which  has  been  charged  with  this  inquiry,  in 
asking  their  assistance.  The  -undersigned,  therefore, 
respectfully  requests :  (1)  Such  information  as  can  be 
gained  through  your  engineering  department  regarding 
the  supply  of  good  road  materials  along  or  near  your 
lines  —  their  location,  character,  accessibility,  and  the 
cost  of  preparation  and  loading  on  cars;  (2)  Your 
schedule  rates  for  transportation  of  the  same ;  (3)  A 
statement  of  any  reduced  rates  or  free  transportation 
that  may  have  been  granted  or  offered  in  special  cases 
to  encourage  road-building;  (4)  Any  information, 
recommendations,  or  suggestions  from  yourself,  or  any 
of  your  staff,  that  may  promote  the  success  of  this 
inquiry  or  the  general  interest  of  road  improve- 


6.    General  circular  of  inquiry:  — 

"The  Department  of  Agriculture,  being  charged  by 
Congress  with  an  inquiry  into  the  systems  of  road 
management  and  the  best  methods  of  road  construction 


26  NEW  ROADS  AND  MOAD   LAWS. 

•throughout  the  United  States,  desires  information  upon 
the  following  points :  — 

"1.  The  practical  working  of  the  recent  road  laws 
of  the  various  States,  \vherever  the  same  have  been 
tested;  the  difficulties  found  in  their  application,  and 
suggestions  for  their  amendment. 

"  2.  The  character  and  cost  of  the  roads  built  under 
these  laws,  the  materials  used,  and  the  present  condition 
and  prospective  durability  of  such  roads. 

"  3.  The  location  and  character  of  any  superior  stone 
for  roads  which  is  accessible  by  railway  or  water,  the 
cost  of  quarrying,  preparing,  and  loading  the  same,  the 
mileage  rates  of  transportation,  and  any  instances  of 
reduced  or  free  transportation  given  by  railways  for  the 
encouragement  of  road-building. 

"4.  The  same  information,  so  far  as  applicable, 
regarding  materials  naturally  prepared,  such  as  the 
Paducah  and  Tishomingo  gravels,  the  Hamilton  sand- 
stones, and  the  Chickamauga  flints. 

"5.  The  results  of  any  experiments  in  the  construc- 
tion of  narrow  and  cheap  hard  roads,  or  of  roads  having 
one  track  of  earth  and  one  of  stone  or  gravel,  with  full 
particulars  as  to  cost  and  method  of  construction. 

"  6.  The  result  of  any  practical  experience  in  the  use 
of  burnt  clay  for  roads. 

"  7.  The  cost  and  benefits  of  tile  drainage  of  roads, 
as  shown  by  practice. 

"  8.  The  best  method  of  constructing  a  common 
highway  without  gravel  or  stone,  and  with  or  without 
under-drainage. 


THE   GOVERNMENT  ROAD 

"9.  Definite  facts  as  to  the  enhancement  of  property 
values  through  road  improvement. 

"10.  The  results  of  any  experiments  in  the  employ- 
ment of  convict  labor  on  roads  or  the  preparation  of 
road  materials. 

"11.  The  detail  >  of  all  bond  issues  for  road  improve- 
ment, and  how,  \\here,  and  at  what  cost  the  bonds  were 
marketed. 

"12.  The  rates  allowed  in  each  State  for  men  and 
teams  in  working  out  road  taxes,  and  the  actual  value 
of  such  work  as  compared  with  labor  paid  for  in  cash. 

"All  communications  should  be  addressed  to  'Office 
of  Road  Inquiry,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture, 
Washington,  D.C.'" 

A  brief  summary  of  the  operations  of  the  Office  of 
Road  Inquiry  for  the  first  two  months,  prepared  in 
December  for  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Department, 
shows  encouraging  results  from  these  inquiries. 

"  The  responses  of  the  Governors  and  Secretaries  of 
State  have  been  most  hearty  and  cordial,  giving  evidence 
of  the  warmest  interest  in  the  work  and  promises  of  all 
the  assistance  in  their  power. 

"  Many  members  of  Congress  have  responded  in  like 
manner.  The  State  geologists  are  beginning  to  supply 
the  information  asked  for  of  them.  Fifty  railroads 
have  already  sent  in  reports  of  their  engineers  or  other 
officers,  many  of  them  very  complete  and  satisfactory. 
This  information  is  being  tabulated,  and  wj^js^ffi^^ 
all  received,  with  that  of  the  geologist^;! "}%ljj3l  bo* ' 

/**&  &*£•>  '"  \y'J 

fe^y 


28  NEIV  ROADS  AND   ROAD  LAWS. 

enabled  to  make  a  map  showing  the  location  and  cost 
of  the  best  road  materials  throughout  the  United  States. 

"In  this  work  the  office  of  the  United  States  Geo- 
logical Survey  .is  rendering  valuable  assistance,  and  it 
could  be  of  the  greatest  service  in  the  general  inquiry 
if  its  means  permitted. 

"Nearly  all  of  the  Railroad  Companies  show  a  will- 
ingness to  promote  the  improvement  of  highways  by 
cheap  transportation  of  materials ;  and  since  in  any 
general  system  of  improvement  railway  transportation 
will  be  almost  universally  required,  if  the  best  materials 
are  to  be  used,  this  is  one  of  the  most  encouraging 
features  of  the  situation. 

"Recent  State  Higliivay  Legislation. 

"  The  first  bulletin  of  this  office  is  now  in  the  hands  of 
the  printer,  and  is  composed  of  a  brief  of  the  new  road 
laws  of  fourteen  States,  Avith  full  extracts  of  the  essen- 
tial portions  of  the  same,  and  some  recommendations 
made  by  influential  public  bodies  but  not  yet  carried 
into  legislation. 

"The  advance  in  road  legislation  proceeds  on  several 
distinct  lines :  — 

"1.  In  the  direction  of  more  rigid  provisions  for 
carrying  out  the  old  systems  without  radical  change  in 
the  systems  themselves. 

"2.    More  liberal  tax  levies. 

"3.    Substitution  of  money  for  labor  taxes. 

"  4.  Local  assessment,  according  to  benefits,  for  con- 
struction of  new  roads. 


THE  GOVERNMENT  EGAD  INQUIRY.  29 

"5.  Construction  by  townships,  with  power  to  issue 
bonds. 

"6.    Construction  by  counties. 

"  7.    State  highway  commissions. 

"  8.    Provision  for  working  convicts. 

"  9.    Direct  State  aid  to  road-building. 

"10.    Building  of  State  roads. 

"  The  new  Road  Law  of  Tennessee  (1891)  is  an 
admirable  example  of  the  first  of  these  classes.  By 
giving  to  the  County  Courts  full  power  and  direct 
control  over  the  whole  subject  of  roads,  it  should  elim- 
inate at  once  the  evil  influences  of  local  politics  and  the 
easy-going  methods  that  generally  prevail.  The  Court 
classifies  the  roads,  establishes  the  districts,  and  appoints 
the  commissioners ;  each  commissioner  divides  his  dis- 
trict into  sections  and  appoints  the  overseers.  The  com- 
missioners have  full  control  of  the  roads  and  bridges, 
and  can  remove  the  overseers  at  pleasure.  The  Court 
assesses  the  road  tax,  within  a  limit  of  eight  days'  work 
for  each  male  inhabitant  between  eighteen  and  forty- 
five  3rears  of  age,  and  of  25  cents  per  $100  of 
property.  The  overseers  may  dismiss  any  man  \vhose 
work  is  unsatisfactory  and  proceed  against  him  by 
suit,  as  in  case  of  refusal  to  work  or  failure  to  pay 
the  property  tax.  Damages  in  such  cases  are  collectible 
out  of  any  property,  except  the  homestead,  or  out  of 
wages. 

"  The  overseer  on  his  part  is  liable  to  be  sued  by  any 
citizen  for  neglect  of  duty,  and  to  be  fined  $20 
therefor,  and  commissioners  for  the  same  offence  are 


30  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

liable  to  be  indicted  and  fined  850.  Such  fines  to  go 
to  the  Road  Fund. 

"In  the  direction  of  increased  tax  levies,  Vermont, 
New  Hampshire,  North  Dakota,  and  Oregon  are  conspic- 
uous, the  last-named  State  allowing  the  County  Courts 
to  levy  a  special  tax  of  50  cents  on  the  $100,  and  $2  per 
head,  for  a  County  Road  Fund. 

"The  abolition  of  labor  taxes  is  absolute  in  New 
Jersey,  also  in  Wisconsin,  excepting  those  towns  which 
specifically  vote  to  retain  it,  and  absolute  in  those 
counties  of  New  York  whose  Boards  of  Supervisors 
adopt  the  County  System ;  and  it  is  optional  with  all 
the  towns  in  New  York  by  affirmative  vote  at  town 
meeting,  many  having  already  availed  of  this  privilege. 

"  Construction  on  the  local  assessment  plan,  extend- 
ing to  a  limit  of  three  miles  on  each  side  of  the  line  of 
road,  obtains  to  some  extent  in  Oregon,  Indiana,  and  by 
special  acts,  in  Ohio.  In  Oregon  the  county  may 
assume  50  per  cent  of  the  cost,  and  in  Ohio  a  larger 
share  is  usually  placed  on  the  county  list  by  the  act. 

"  Construction  by  townships  has  been  quite  extensive, 
and  in  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey,  township  bonds 
have  been  largely  and  successfully  used. 

"  The  County  System,  however,  is  the  especial  feature 
of  recent  legislation,  many  of  the  new  States  having 
started  out  with  it  in  some  form,  and  many  of  the  older 
ones  having  adopted  or  seriously  considered  it.  The 
issue  of  county  bonds  is  provided  for  in  New  York, 
New  Jersey,  Indiana,  Michigan,  and  Washington,  but  in 
the  last  two  a  popular  vote  is  requisite  to  authorize  the 


THE  GOVERNMENT  ROAD  INQUIRY.  31 

iosue,  and  in  Indiana  the  term  of  payment  is  limited  to 
five  years. 

"State  highway  commissions  have  been  constituted 
in  Massachusetts,  Vermont,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Michi- 
gan, and  possibly  in  other  States;  these  are  generally 
temporary  bodies,  charged  only  to  inquire  and  recom- 
mend, but  in  Massachusetts  the  commission  is  perma- 
nent and  has  important  duties  connected  with  actual 
road  improvement. 

"In  the  working  of  convicts  on  roads,  New  York  is 
making  an  experiment  near  Clinton  Prison,  with  State 
prisoners,  and  Tennessee  makes  all  persons  confined 
in  county  jails  or  work-houses  available  for  highway 
labor. 

"  New  Jersey  is  probably  the  only  State  giving  direct 
aid  to  road-building.  Such  aid  is  limited  to  one-third 
of  the  cost  of  roads  built  by  the  counties,  and  to  the 
sum  of  175,000  per  annum. 

"  The  Highway  Commission  of  Pennsylvania  has  re- 
ported a  bill  for  State  aid  to  the  amount  of  $1,000,000 
per  annum,  to  be  distributed  among  the  townships  in 
proportion  to  the  road  tax  paid  by  them,  on  condition 
that  they  set  aside  25  per  cent  of  their  tax  for  making 
permanent  highways. 

"Building  of  State  roads  has  been  practised  in  some 
Western  States,  and  Washington  is  now  building  a  road 
through  the  Cascade  Mountains,  under  charge  of  a 
special  commission. 

"The  Massachusetts  Highway  Commission JiJ 
thority  to  adopt  any  road  as  a  State  hi) 


Ktf 

V     A  A  -  f^u  »*2r 


32  XEllr  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

constructed  and  maintained  as  such  if  the  Legislature 
make  appropriation  therefor. 

"  Co-operative  road-building,  as  provided  for  in  New 
Jersey,  has  been  very  successful,  abutting  land-owners 
paying  one-tenth  of  the  cost,  the  State  one-third,  and 
the  county  the  remainder.  Under  this  law  ten  miles 
of  road  were  built  in  1892,  twenty-five  in  1893,  and 
sixty-four  are  applied  for  by  land-owners  for  1894. 

"  New  Ho  ad  Construction. —  Reduced  Cost. 

"Information  on  this  head  is  meagre  as  yet,  but 
enough  has  been  gained  to  show  that  new  construction 
is  proceeding  in  many  parts  of  the  countr}r,  and  that,  as 
might  be  expected,  increased  knowledge  and  skill, 
improved  machinery  and  methods,  and  extended  practi- 
cal experience,  are  rapidly  lessening  the  cost  of  good 
roads.  Mr.  E.  G.  Harrison,  C.E.,  of  Asbury  Park, 
N.J.,  under  whose  supervision  permanent  roads 
have  been  constructed  in  that  State,  says:  'Three  or 
four  years  ago  the  cost  of  road-building  was  $10,000 
per  mile.  Last  year  I  built  roads  for  $3500  per  mile; 
the  stone  was  brought  by  rail  at  a  cost  of  81  per  ton 
for  transportation.'  Major  M.  H.  Crump,  of  Bowling 
Green,  Ky.,  who  has  built  many  miles  of  the  excel- 
lent highways  in  that  State,  says  a  good  Telford  road 
can  be  built  for  $2000  per  mile,  including  grading. 
J.  B.  Hunnicutt,  Professor  of  Agriculture  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Georgia,  states  the  cost  of  good  hard  roads 
recently  built  in  that  State,  giving  one  track  of  stone 
and  one  of  earth,  at  $1200  per  mile.  H.  G.  Chapin, 


THE  GOVERNMENT  ROAD   INQUIRY.  33 

Supervisor  of  East  Bloomfield,  Ontario  County,  N.Y., 
reports  the  building  in  the  town  of  Canaiidaigua, 
N.Y.,  of  ten  miles  of  single-track  stone  road,  with  an 
earth  track  011  each  side,  for  $900  per  mile,  the  crushed 
stone  being  laid  one  foot  deep  and  eight  feet  wide.  In 
this  case  the  township  owns  a  movable  crusher  and 
prepares  its  own  material,  the  neighboring  farmers 
delivering  field  stones  at  the  crusher  for  20  cents  per 
load. 

"  Benefits  of  Road  Improvement. 

"Information  in  this  regard  is  more  abundant;  I 
select  a  few  well-authenticated  cases. 

"  Hon.  Edward  Burrough,  President  of  the  State 
Board  of  Agriculture  of  New  Jersey,  says  that  on  the 
new  stone  road  from  Merchantville  to  Camden,  his' 
teams  haul  eighty-five  to  one  hundred  baskets  of  pota-j 
toes  where  they  formerly  hauled  only  twenty-five.  Mr. 
Burrough  says  further  that  'one  of  our  counties  has 
issued  $450,000  of  4  per  cent  bonds  and  put  down  sixty 
miles  of  stone  roads,  averaging  sixteen  feet  wide,  and 
though  they  pay  the  taxes  to  meet  the  interest  on  these 
bonds,  their  tax  rate  is  now  lower  than  it  was  before 
the  roads  were  built.' 

"Mr.  Chapin,  heretofore  quoted,  says  of  the  Canan- 
daigua  roads,  that  the}^  are  as  good  in  March  as  in 
July,  that  they  have  increased  the  value  of  the  adjoin- 
ing farms  many  times  the  cost  of  the  roads,  and  that  the 
cost  of  keeping  them  in  good  repair  is  much  less  than 
that  of  keeping  poor  roads  in  poor  repair.  Mr.  Gar- 


34  NEW  ROADS   AND    ROAD    LAWS. 

field,  speaking  at  the  Michigan  Engineers'  Convention 
in  1893,  says  that  in  his  township,  while  farms  have 
generally  been  declining  in  value,  the  building  of  a 
gravel  road  four  miles  in  length  has  increased  the  value 
of  those  adjoining  it  25  to  40  per  cent,  and  this  is  not 
a  free,  but  a  toll  road. 

"The  owner  of  a  large  tobacco  plantation,  some 
miles  from  Henderson,  Ky.,  having  great  difficulty  in 
moving  his  product  to  market  in  that  city,  organized  a 
company  and  built  a  toll  road.  He  estimates  the 
increase  in  the  value  of  his  property  at  threefold,  while 
the  road  has  paid  annually  over  10  per  cent  in 
dividends." 


go 


s 


CHAPTER   III. 

THE  NEW   ROADS   OF   CANANDAIGUA,   N.Y. 

THE  people  of  Canandaigua  "builded  better  than 
they  knew,"  when  they  resolved  that  the  way  to  build 
roads  was  to  build  them,  and  commenced  the  construc- 
tion of  what  are  becoming  famous  as  the  cheapest  good 
roads  in  the  country.  They  Builded  for  all  the  people 
of  the  United  States,  and  opened  wide  the  door  of  hope 
for  better  roads  everywhere.  They  did  not  wait  for 
legislation  nor  outside  help,  but  plunged  into  the  work 
with  energy,  zeal,  and  discretion,  and  the  results  are,  to 
say  the  least,  remarkable.  A  neighbor  of  theirs,  the 
supervisor  of  an  adjoining  town,  writes  regarding  the 
New  York  County  Road  Law,  the  roads  in  Canan- 
daigua, and  the  lessons  taught  b}^  these  roads,  as 
follows :  — 

"  The  Question  of  Good  Roads. 

"In  your  issue  of  November  3d,  in  an  article  on 
'How  to  Improve  Our  Roads,'  you  say:  'We  hope  those 
who  are  interested  in  this  reform  will  abandon  the 
advocacy  of  national  roads,  of  town  roads,  of  county 
roads,  and  concentrate  their  energies  in  favor  of  the 

35 


36  NE\V  110 ADS  AND  EOAD  LA  \VS. 

State  road  plan.'  There  are  in  Ontario  County  a  great 
many  friends  of  the  County  Road  Law,  and  we  regret 
very  much  that  a  paper  so  highly  esteemed,  and  so 
largely  circulated  in  the  county  as  the  Post  Express, 
should  disparage  the  adoption  of  that  system  and  advo- 
cate another,  the  adoption  of  which  seems  to  be  impos- 
sible. The  State  Road  Bill  (or  Richardson  Bill) 
advocated  by  Governor  Hill  was  defeated  in  the  Legis- 
lature within  a  few  years,  and  the  same  influence  Avhich 
defeated  it  then  would,  in  all  probability,  defeat  it 
again. 

"The  County  Road  Law  has  passed  the  Legislature 
and  only  awaits  adoption  b}-  the  boards  of  supervisors 
to  become  operative  in  the  several  counties.  Let  us  see 
how  it  would  work  in  Ontario  County ;  for  what  can  be 
done  in  this  county  can  be  done  in  any  county  in  the 
State. 

"Within  the  last  thirty  years  there  have  been  ex- 
pended on  the  highways  in  this  county  over  §1200  per 
mile,  and,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  miles  in  the 
town  of  Canandaigua,  they  are  no  better  than  they  Avere 
at  the  beginning  of  that  period;  and,  should  the  same 
system  be  continued  for  the  next  thirty  years,  a  like 
sum  would  have  been  expended  and  the  condition  of 
the  highways  would  be  just  about  the  same  as  it  is 
now.  The  few  miles  referred  to  in  Canandaigua  are 
crushed  stone  (or  macadam)  roads,  built  at  an  expense 
to  the  town  outside  of  the  regular  highway  tax.  Four 
or  five  years  ago  the  town  bought  a  stone-crusher  and 
has  expended  the  $2000  per  year  allowed  by  law,  under 


NEW  ROADS   OF  CANANDAIGUA,    N.T.  37 

the  direction  of  their  very  efficient  highway  commis- 
sioners, in  building  macadam  roads,  consisting  of  a 
crushed  stone  road-bed  about  eight  feet  wide  and  nearly 
a  foot  deep  in  the  centre  of  a  turnpike  some  twenty-five 
feet  to  thirty  feet  wide,  sloping  enough  to  shed  the 
surface  water,  but  not  too  steep  to  drive  on  any  part  of 
it,  at  an  expense  of  $400  to  $700  per  mile  (the  smaller 
sum  in  cases  where  the  stone  has  been  contributed  and 
drawn  into  piles  by  the  neighboring  farmers  without 
expense  to  the  town).  As  a  result,  they  have  in  that 
town  ten  miles  or  more  of  such  roads,  and  so  well 
pleased  are  they  with  the  improvement,  that  they  have 
had  a  special  act  passed  by  the  Legislature,  during  the 
last  session,  empowering  the  town  to  vote  upon  the 
question  of  expending  $2000  per  year  in  addition  to 
the  $2000  already  allowed  by  law,  in  building  such 
roads.  Those  roads  are  just  as  good  in  December  or 
March  as  they  are  in  July  or  September;  they  have 
increased  the  value  of  the  adjoining  farms  many  times 
the  cost  of  the  roads,  and  the  subsequent  cost  of  keep- 
ing them  in  good  repair  will  be  much  less  than  the  cost 
(under  the  ordinary  system)  of  keeping  poor  roads  in 
poor  repair. 

"Now  suppose  our  supervisors  should  adopt  the 
County  Road  Law  and  select  one  hundred  miles  of 
highway  to  be  built  and  maintained  by  the  county, 
for  which  the  money  is  to  be  raised  by  the  sale  of 
bonds  running  not  less  than  twenty  years  and  drawing 
not  more  than  5  per  cent  interest.  These  roads  must 
be  selected  outside  of  incorporated  villages,  and  as  the 


38  NEW  ROADS   AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

incorporated  villages  in  this  county  pay  29 1  per  cent  of 
all  county  taxes,  the  farming  community  will  receive 
nearly  all  the  benefit  and  pay  only  about  seven-tenths 
of  the  cost;  but  the  villages  do  not  object,  for  they 
think  (and  rightly,  too)  that  access  to  the  villages  will 
be  made  easier  and  better. 

"But  the  best  feature  of  the  law  is  that,  bv  its  adop- 
tion, the  highway  taxes  become  payable  in  money 
instead  of  labor,  thus  doing  away  at  once  with  the 
miserable  old  system  under  which  much  of  the  expendi- 
ture has  been  worse  than  Avasted,  and  compelling  the 
man  who  has  been  in  the  habit  of  leaning  on  a  hoe  and 
gossiping  with  his  neighbors,  to  pay  just  as  good  a 
dollar  as  the  one  who  has  tried  to  do  an  honest  day's 
work  on  the  road.  As  soon  as  the  law  is  adopted,  each 
town  can  buy  a  stone-crusher,  and  have  its  commis- 
sioners of  highways  (using  the  county  roads  as  models, 
if  they  choose)  expend  the  tax,  in  the  same  amount  that 
is  now  assessed,  in  building  crushed  stone  roads,  and 
thus  all  of  the  roads  in  this  county  can  be  macadamized 
in  fifteen  years.  The  cost  for  the  first  fifteen  years, 
including  cost  of  crushers  and  rollers,  and  interest  on 
the  bonds,  would  be  about  18  per  cent  greater  than 
it  is  now;  bat,  once  constructed,  the  cost  of  maintain- 
ing such  a  system  would  be  much  less,  so  that  at  the 
end  of  thirty  years  the  county  would  be  money  ahead, 
the  bonds  would  have  been  paid,  and  the  total  expense 
to  the  county  and  to  the  several  towns  would  have  been 
$1,000,000,  while  under  the  present  system  the  cost  of 
keeping  roads  (passable  for  three  or  four  months  in  each 


N.Y.  3D 

year,  and  full  of  ruts  or  mire  during  the  balance  of  the 
time)  for  thirty  years,  at  the  present  rate  of  expenditure 
would  have  been  11,200,000.  After  that  time  one- 
half  the  sum  now  expended  would  maintain  the  mac- 
adam roads  in  perfect  repair.  I  need  not  occupy  your 
space  in  giving  all  the  computations  which  have  led  up 
to  these  results,  for  any  of  your  readers  can  take  pencil 
and  paper  and  make  the  computations  himself. 

"Of  late  years  we  have  heard  a  great  deal  of  com- 
plaint among  producers  in  regard  to  the  excessive  cost 
of  transportation.  The  produce  shipped  from  this  (East 
Bloomfield)  station  is  transported  by  railroad,  on  an 
average  of  about  five  hundred  miles  to  the  consumers ; 
and  it  is  transported  by  wagon  roads  on  an  average  of 
three  miles  from  the  farms  to  the  station.  With  the 
present  roads  it  costs  the  farmers  one-half  as  much  to 
haul  this  produce  the  three  miles  as  they  pay  the  rail- 
roads to  haul  it  five  hundred  miles.  With  a  system  of 
macadam  roads  the  cost  of  this  short  haul  would  be 
reduced  50  per  cent,  thus  reducing  the  whole  cost  of 
transportation  from  the  farm  to  the  consumer  by  one- 
sixth,  which  would  be  a  saving  to  the  farmers  of  an 
amount  each  year  equal  to  the  interest  on  from  $10  to 
$30  an  acre,  according  to  the  crop  raised  (the  larger 
sum  being  the  saving  on  the  potato  crop,  which  is  one 
of  the  main  crops  here),  and  would  increase  the  value 
of  the  land  (either  to  hold  or  to  sell)  by  a  like  amount. 
These  figures  may  seem  startling,  but  they  are  none  the 
less  correct.  ______ 

"  We  agree  with  youxri^^f  aysgjtfeflf  State  roads, 


40  NEW  ROADS  AND   ROAD  LAWS. 

under  which  the  cities  would  pay  three-fourths  of  the 
cost  of  the  country  roads,  is  desirable;  but,  strange  as 
it  may  seem,  the  farmers  defeated  the  Richardson  Bill, 
and  would  no  doubt  do  so  again  should  the  cities  give 
them  another  opportunity;  so  that  there  is  very  little 
prospect  of  ever  accomplishing  anything  by  advocating 
such  a  system,  while  there  is  a  law  already  enacted  (the 
County  Road  Law)  which  we  can  adopt,  and  which  is 
well  suited  to  accomplish  its  purpose,  the  best  law,  we 
think,  of  the  eleven  passed  by  as  many  different  State 
Legislatures  during  the  last  two  or  three  years,  and  all 
having  the  same  object, — ^the  permanent  improvement  of 
the  country  roads.  We  hope,  then,  that  you  will  aban- 
don the  advocacy  of  the  State  road  plan,  and  use  the 
influence  of  your  valued  paper  in  urging  the  boards  of 
supervisors  to  adopt  the  County  Road  Law. 

"HAKRY  G.  CHAPIN. 

"  East  Bloomfield  Station,  N.Y.,  Nov.  6,  1893." 

The  writer  of  this  book,  after  a  visit  to  the  spot  and 
a  careful  investigation,  is  able  to  confirm  all  that  Super- 
visor Chapin  says  of  the  Canandaigua  roads,  except 
that  a  more  careful  computation  of  the  cost  in  detail, 
including  interest  and  depreciation  on  machinery,  and 
full  pay  for  volunteer  labor  and  superintendence,  would 
bring  the  total  for  the  best  of  them  up  to  about  $900 
per  mile.  The  visit  to  these  roads,  being  timed  in  the 
midst  of  a  winter  thaw,  gave  an  excellent  opportunity 
to  test  the  merits  of  their  construction ;  they  were  found 
so  good  that  farmers  were  hauling  two  tons  of  hay 


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To  face  p.  40 


NEW  ROADS   OF  CANANDAIGUA,   N.Y.  41 

Avith  two  horses  over  them,  when  other  roads  near  by 
required  two  horses  to  a  buggy. 

The  total  distance  built  is  about  fourteen  miles,  of 
which  a  part  is  of  sufficient  width  to  allow  a  dirt  track 
on  each  side  of  the  stone,  and  part  has  only  the  stone 
track,  with  a  shoulder  of  earth  four  or  five  feet  wide  on 
each  side.  The  difference  in  cost  is  not  great,  being 
only  in  the  grading  and  culverts ;  the  farmers  seem 
entirely  satisfied  with  the  narrower  roads.  The  follow- 
ing are  items  of  cost,  etc.,  given  by  the  Highway  Com- 
missioner in  charge,  Mr.  Ira  P.  Cribb:  — 

"  Built  in  1891,  in  the  village  of  Canandaigua,  west 
part  of  Bristol  Street,  64  rods  of  road,  graded  36  feet 
wide,  macadamized  9  feet  wide  in  the  middle,  and  9 
inches  deep,  except  in  a  low  wet  place  20  rods  long, 
where  it  was  made  18  inches  deep;  all  broken  stone,  not 
screened  nor  assorted;  110  roller  used;  crushing  cost  18 
cents  per  cubic  yard,  not  including  interest  or  use  of 
crusher;  average  haul  from  crusher,  one  mile;  three 
and  sometimes  four  teams  used  in  hauling;  three  men 
placed  the  stone;  wages  $1.50  for  men,  $3  for  team  and 
man  ;  average  total  cost,  $2.68  per  rod. 

"  Lake  Shore  road,  one  mile  cost  $447,  nearly  all  the 
stone  delivered  free,  and  some  labor  volunteered  (about 
8100). 

"  Bristol  road,  three  miles,  graded  32  feet  wide, 
macadamized  9  feet  wide  at  top  and  10  feet  at  bottom ; 
100  rods  of  it  is  18  inches  deep,  balance  about  1  foot; 
average  cost  $850  per  mile ;  other  roads  about  the  same, 

"In  some  cases  the  Commissioners  pay  20  cents  per 


42  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

cubic  yard  for  the  stone  delivered  at  the  crusher,  in 
other  cases  they  break  up  boulders  in  the  fields,  at  a 
cost  of  30  cents  per  cubic  yard,  and  the  farmers  haul 
them  free  of  charge,  in  order  to  clear  their  fields. 

"  It  is  the  general  opinion  that  these  roads  have  added 
820  or  more,  per  acre,  to  the  value  of  adjoining  lands ; 
the  average  loads  hauled  throughout  the  year  are  fully 
doubled." 


CHAPTER   IV. 

MODERN   KENTUCKY  EOAD-BUILDING. 

THE  State  of  Kentucky  was  famous  for  its  fine  roads 
a  generation  ago,  before  many  of  the  Eastern  States  had 
made  any  serious  attempt  at  the  improvement  of  their 
highways.  It  is  fair  to  presume,  therefore,  that  Ken- 
tucky knows  what  good  roads  are,  and  that  her  recent; 
road-building  is  fully  abreast  if  not  ahead  of  the  times, 
—  and  certainly  that  the  standard  of  excellence  in  con- 
struction has  not  been  lowered.  In  this  view  the  fol- 
lowing details  of  a  portion  of  the  work  lately  done 
there  are  important  and  interesting.  They  show  a 
thoroughness  of  design  and  an  economy  of  execution 
which  are  instructive  to  road-builders  everywhere. 

These  details  are  furnished  by  Major  M.  H.  Crump, 
C.E.,  who  has  superintended  the  construction  of  $200,- 
000  worth  of  Telford  and  gravel  roads  in  that  State  in 
the  last  ten  years.  Major  Crump  says:  "Many  miles  of 
18-foot  stone  roads  have  cost  less  than  $2000  per  mile, 
and  many  miles  of  16-foot  road  have  cost  less  than 
$1600  per  mile.  They  are  built  of  good  limestone, 
generally  found  within  a  mile  of  the  road.  These  stone 

roads  were    constructed   by   county   aid,   $1000   being 

43 


44  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

allowed  on  each  completed  mile,  when  not  less  than 
three  miles  were  assured.  Bonds  running  thirty  years 
at  5  per  cent  were  sold  at  par  and  all  taken  by  citizens  of 
the  county.  Warren  County  expended  $60,000  in  this 
way,  and  the  county  levy  has  been  decreased  every  year 
since  the  roads  were  built." 

The  specifications  for  construction  are  as  follows :  — 

"  For  an  1.8-Foot  Roadway. 

"Excavation  must  be  24  feet  Avide.  Embankment 
the  same. 

"Road-bed  is  graded  carefully  with  a  crown  of  4 
inches. 

"Paving  consists  of  selected  stone  not  more  than  6 
inches  long,  4  inches  wide,  and  9  inches  high,  which  are 
carefully  set  by  hand,  large  end  on  ground.  The  stone 
are  carefully  broken  down  with  long-handled  light 
hammers  to  a  uniform  surface  and  thickness  of  8  inches, 
this  surface  still  to  retain  a  rise  or  crown  of  4  inches. 
Headers,  as  the  outside  courses  of  stone  are  called, 
must  bs  set  with  great  care,  so  as  to  bind  and  hold  the 
pavement  together. 

"Metal.  —  O,i  this  paving  an  average  thickness  of  4 
inches  of  metal  broken  so  as  to  pass  through  a  2J  inch 
ring,  and  so  spread  as  to  be  6  inches  in  the  centre  and 
gradually  thin  to  2  inches  at  the  headers. 

"Clay.  —  On  this  metal  may  be  spread  one  or  two 
inches  of  clay,  to  act  as  a  binding  material.  This  is 
essential  on  country  roads,  when  a  roller  is  not  used 
and  the  travel  is  light. 


MODERN   KENTUCKY  HOAD-BUILDING. 


45 


"Embankments. — I  nail  cases  there 
must  be  at  least  3  feet  of  earth  outside 
of  the  line  of  headers,  which  must  be 
carefully  packed  so  as  to  retain  the 
headers  in  place  till  they  become 
firmly  set. 

"Excavations. — Not  less  than  3 
feet  outside  of  headers,  and  occasion- 
ally more  space  is  required  for  drain- 
age ditches. 

"The  same  specifications  apply  to 
16-foot  roadways,  which  are  the  prin- 
cipal widths  used  in  this  section. 
The  all-important  matter  is  proper 
shape  to  the  road-bed,  so  as  to  pro- 
duce the  proper  drainage,  the  careful 
setting  of  headers,  and  sufficient 
backing  to  retain  them  in  place. 

"  The  crown  for  16-foot  roadway 
may  be  made  3  inches,  but  my  experi- 
ence has  always  been  that  4  inches  is 
better,  since  on  country  roads  almost 
the  entire  traffic  occurs  on  the  centre. 

"Grading  and  shaping  the  road- 
bed costs  from  $200  to  $500  per  mile. 
The  average  cost  of  an  18-foot  road, 
including  grading,  has  been  $2200 
per  mile.  Some  miles  have  been 
constructed  for  $1800,  and  some  for 
$2500  per  mile." 


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CHAPTER  V. 

CONNECTICUT   ROADS. 

A  QUESTION  still  open  to  discussion,  and  one  which 
interests  all  localities  where  field  stones  or  quarry  spawls 
are  abundant,  is  whether  it  is  important  to  crush  all  the 
stones  that  are  put  into  the  road. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Connecticut  Board  of  Agricul- 
ture in  1893,  Mr.  Perry  of  Worcester  said:  "From  my 
standpoint  I  think  it  is  wholly  unnecessary  to  crush  all 
the  stones.  As  far  as  my  experience  is  concerned,  and 
I  have  had  some  experience,  two-thirds  or  three-quarters 
of  the  stones  that  are  put  in  a  macadamized  road  are 
just  as  good,  if  not  better,  before  they  are  crushed  as 
afterwards,  which  makes  a  wonderful  difference  in  the 
cost  of  a  road.  It  costs  a  great  deal  to  carry  stone  to 
the  stone-crusher,  crush  it,  and  then  carry  this  stone 
back  from  one  to  five  miles.  Supposing  you  want  to 
improve  a  highway  and  want  to  macadamize  it,  I  would 
say,  put  that  road  into  shape,  open  it  out.  In  our 
section  we  have  lots  of  stone.  The  farmers  want  to  get 
rid  of  the  stone.  One  man  has  said  here  to-day  that  he 
put  168  loads  of  stone  directly  into  the  roads  where  they 

were  wanted  in  order  to  get  rid  of  them.     You  can 

40 


CONNECTICUT  ROADS.  47 

readily  see  that  it  costs  but  very  little  to  build  macad- 
amized roads  if  you  build  them  without  crushing  more 
than  one-quarter  of  the  material.  I  do  not  think,  on 
the  average,  it  would  cost  more  than  one-half  as  much, 
and  when  you  have  done  it,  you  have  got  just  as  good  a 
road  as  if  you  had  crushed  all  the  stone. 

"My  idea  of  macadamized  road  is  that  it  ought  not 
to  cost  more  than  from  $1000  to  $2000  dollars  per  mile. 
When  you  put  $5000  into  a  mile  of  road  you  have  got 
too  much  money  there,  and  too  little  somewhere  else. 
On  all  your  farms  around  here  you  have  got  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  loads  of  stone.  Some  of  them  you  want 
to  get  rid  of.  When  you  have  a  load  of  stone  of  any 
shape,  bring  that  stone  on  to  the  road  that  you  want  to 
macadamize,  let  somebody  be  there  to  look  after  and 
take  care  of  it,  and  then  when  you  have  got  your  stone 
in  in  good  shape,  put  a  few  crushed  stone  on  top ;  and  if 
you  put  on  good  gravel,  and  perhaps  a  little  clay  to 
make  it  heavy,  I  will  guarantee  that  you  will  have  as 
good  a  road  as  can  be  made  with  all  crushed  stone,  and 
at  not  more  than  half  the  cost."  (Applause.) 

Mr.  Kirkman  said:  "I  was  very  glad  to  hear  Mr. 
Perry  tell  us  how  a  good  road  should  be  made.  I  live 
in  a  small  town,  with  a  grand  list  of  half  a  million. 
Our  tax  is  about  $5000  a  year,  and  we  appropriate  $3000 
of  that  for  our  roads.  We  build  from  half  a  mile  to  a 
mile  of  macadamized  road  every  year,  and  have  done  it 
for  the  last  fifteen  years.  We  join  the  city  of  Hartford, 
and  our  roads  are  better  than  the  roads  in  the  outskirts 
of  the  city.  Our  roads  have  cost  less  than  $1000  a  mile. 


48  NEW  ROADS   AND   liOAD   LAWS. 

We  have  a  range  of  trap  rock  300  feet  high  that  is 
accessible,  and  the  stones  are  put  at  the  bottom  as  large 
as  they  can  be  thrown  into  the  cart;  smaller  stones  are 
put  on  top,  and  then  gravel  on  top  of  those,  and  \ve 
slope  the  road,  if  it  is  25  feet  wide,  2.^  feet  on  each 
side;  so  that  our  own  roads  are  made  very  economi- 
cally. Farmers  do  the  work  and  take  the  pay." 

Mr.  Augur.  "  I  would  like  to  ask  Mr.  Perry  the 
depth  of  the  crushed  stone  that  he  puts  on." 

Mr.  Perry.  "  I  say  I  should  not  think  it  necessary 
to  have  more  than  three  or  four  inches  of  crushed  stone/' 

Mr.  Augur.  "  The  distinct  difference  between  a  Tel- 
ford  road  and  a  macadam  road  is  that  Macadam's  theory 
was  that  the  stone  should  all  be  crushed  to  nearly  a 
uniform  size,  and  for  the  reason  that  whjn  stones  are 
put  on  a  road  to  the  thickness  of  about  ten  inches,  the 
larger  stones  will  have  a  tendency  to  work  up  all  the 
time  to  the  surface,  just  as,  if  you  shake  a  pan  of 
gravel,  you  will  find  the  larger  stones  on  the  top.  That 
is  a  tendency  we  shall  have  to  admit.  Telford's  theory 
was  that  larger  stones  could  be  used  for  the  bottom. 
His  system  was  to  make  a  sort  of  pavement,  setting  the 
stones  with  some  care,  and  then  applying  a  thinner  layer 
than  Macadam  would  have  recommended,  of  crushed 
stone.  Telford  argued  that  the  bottom  course  of  cheaper 
stone  was  really  the  foundation  for  the  road  proper, 
which  was  of  the  crushed  stone.  I  think  that  Mr. 
Perry  conveyed  the  idea  that  a  very  thin  layer  of 
crushed  stone  is  necessary.  Now,  my  observation  is, 
that  it  is  not  wise  to  lay  too  thin  a  layer  of  crushed 


CONNECTICUT  1WADS.  49 

stone  upon  the  surface  of  other  stone  underneath,  and 
for  this  reason,  that  you  need  to  get  more  than  one  or 
two  stones  on  top  of  each  other.  If  you  are  going  to 
make  a  permanent  surface  of  crushed  stone,  put  on 
enough  to  pack  together;  otherwise  you  will  have  the 
crushed  stone  working  loose  constantly,  which  is  a 
source  of  trouble  in  a  road,  and  your  surface  will  be 
gone  just  at  the  time  it  ought  to  be  in  its  best 
condition." 

Here  we  have  both  sides  of  the  question  fairly  pre- 
sented, and  by  their  ancient  champions  as  well  as  by 
their  modern.  Fortunately,  it  would  seem  now  to  be 
only  a  question  of  ascertainable  facts,  "a  condition,  not 
a  theory  that  confronts  us  ";  for  if  on  these  Connecticut 
roads,  built  in  this  manner  and  tested  for  years,  the 
large  stones  do  not  "work  up  to  the  surface  "  under  the 
stress  of  that  frosty  climate,  and  the  thin  crushed  stone 
or  gravel  surfacing  does  not  "work  loose"  under  the 
wheels,  then  that  form  of  construction  may  safely  be 
adopted  elsewhere,  and  will  be  a  great  saving  in  cost  in 
many  localities.  The  Canandaigua  road-builders,  for 
instance,  might  by  this  means  save  $200,  or  more,  per 
mile,  on  the  present  low  cost  of  their  roads,  and  put 
more  stone  in  them  than  they  do  now. 

Where  roads  are  constructed  with  tile  or  other  sub- 
drainage,  or  on  a  thoroughly  porous  subsoil,  and  the 
action  of  frost  practically  eliminated,  it  would  seem  to 
be  a  thoroughly  safe  method  to  put  a  good  proportion  of 
the  stones  in  the  bottom  without  crushing. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

CHEAP    STONE    ROADS    IN    VIRGINIA,    MICHIGAN,    NEW 
JERSEY,   AND   MARYLAND. 

THE  low-priced  hard  roads  in  New  York,  Connecti- 
cut, and  Kentucky,  heretofore  described,  are  all  located 
where  the  material  was  close  at  hand,  abundant,  and 
cheap ;  but  there  are  some  instances  of  good  roads  built 
at  low  cost  under  the  opposite  conditions. 

In  Alexandria  County,  Va.,  a  portion  of  the  old 
mail  road  from  the  Washington  and  Ohio  Junction 
northward,  lately  rebuilt,  was  covered  with  4  inches  of 
hand  broken  stone,  9  feet  wide,  and  overlaid  with  6 
inches  of  gravel,  at  a  cost  of  $1139  per  mile.  In  this 
case  the  stone  was  gathered  with  some  difficulty,  and  the 
county  paid  $1.50  per  cubic  yard  for  it  in  place  and 
broken ;  the  contractor  paid  25  cents  per  yard  for  break- 
ing it  by  hand  on  the  road-bed.  The  road  was  well 
rolled  and  stands  well  under  a  heavy  travel. 

Alexandria  County  levies  a  tax  of  50  cents  per  $100 
for  road  purposes,  and  this  road  was  built  out  of  the 
proceeds  of  such  tax. 

The  experience  of  Bay  County,  Mich.,  carries  some 

50 


< 


CHEAP   STONE  EOADS.  51 

valuable  lessons.     It  was  related  by  Mr.  H.  C.  Thomp- 
son, at  the  Engineers'  Convention,  as  follows:  — 

"  Stone  Roads  in  Bay  County. 

"In  1880,  the  board  of  supervisors  conceived  the  idea 
that  the  highways  should  be  improved  permanently,  and 
set  themselves  at  work  to  formulate  a  plan  for  so  doing. 
A  proposition  to  raise  $100,000  on  the  bonds  of  the 
county  was  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  people,  and  wa ; 
carried.  Committees  were  appointed  by  the  board  of 
supervisors  to  visit  localities  where  permanent  roads 
had  been  constructed,  and  work  was  begun  on  several 
of  the  main  thoroughfares. 

"  There  being  no  suitable  material  in  the  county  for 
constructing  the  roads,  stone  was  procured  in  Ohio,  and 
conveyed  by  boats  to  the  Saginaw  River,  where  it  was 
placed  on  docks  and  drawn  by  teams  to  the  respective 
roads. 

"The  Ohio  stone  not  proving  satisfactory, — being 
too  soft,  —  a  better  quality  was  obtained  on  the  shore  of 
Lake  Huron,  at  Bay  Port,  where  it  was  loaded  on  cars 
and  conveyed  by  rail  to  its  destination.  Considerable 
gravel  was  used  in  the  construction  of  the  roads  at  dif- 
ferent times,  and  this  was  procured  from  gravel  beds 
near  Mason.  All  the  material  used  had  to  be  imported, 
thus  making  the  cost  considerable;  but  the  result  of 
having  good  roads  at  all  times  of  the  year  is  shown  in 
there  being  a  uniform  price  and  market  for  all  faun 
products,  and  never  at  any  time  is  there  a  scarcity  of 
any  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  on  account  of  bad  roads. 


52  NEW  ROADS  AND  EOAD  LAWS. 

"  The  soil  is  a  sandy  loam,  and  the  surface  practically 
level,  rising  about  three  feet  to  a  mile  from  the  level 
of  the  bay,  which  affords  sufficient  grade  to  convey 
surface  water  through  artificial  channels.  The  first 
object  to  be  sought  was  drainage,  and  this  was  accom- 
plished by  constructing  suitable  drains  on  both  sides  of 
the  grade.  An  excavation  twelve  feet  wide  and  about 
one  foot  deep  was  then  made  on  one  side  of  the  grade  to 
receive  the  first  layer  of  stone,  which  was  composed  of 
the  larger  stones,  laid  flat  with  edges  close  together. 
This  foundation  would  average  four  inches  in  thickness. 
Upon  this  layer  were  placed  stones  of  smaller  size,  and 
in  the  early  part  of  the  work  the  surface  was  made 
smooth  by  pounding  with  hammers,  until  the  stones  on 
the  surface  would  be  about  one  and  a  half  inches  in 
diameter.  Later,  the  top  dressing  was  put  on  entirely 
with  crushed  stone.  Gravel  was  also  used  as  a  top 
dressing,  but  this  was  so  easily  displaced  that  the 
crushed  stone  was  adopted.  There  was  no  roller  used 
in  compacting  the  stone  or  the  sub-grade.  On  this 
account  a  great  many  of  the  stones  would  be  displaced 
by  the  traffic,  and  it  would  require  some  time  before  a 
uniform  surface  would  be  made,  and  this  not  until  the 
ruts  made  by  the  wheels  had  been  filled  by  raking  in 
the  loose  material.  A  road  machine  or  scraper  has  been 
used  to  do  this  work,  with  good  results.  The  first  few 
years  the  practice  was  to  make  the  width  of  stone  twelve 
feet,  but  later  nine  feet  was  adopted,  with  a  margin  of 
two  feet  of  earth  on  one  side  and  eleven  on  the  opposite, 
making  a  road-bed  twenty-two  feet  wide. 


CHEAP   STONE  ROADS.  53 

"This  has  proven  to  be  of  sufficient  width  for  all 
purposes.  The  surface  of  the  road  has  a  crown  of  one 
foot,  and  the  stone  work  has  a  crown  of  four  inches 
which  soon  wears  down  to  level,  and  after  about  three 
years'  use,  requires  a  top  dressing  of  fine  broken  stone, 
to  fill  up  uneven  places.  The  depth  of  material  laid 
loose  was  twelve  inches,  but  when  compacted  would  not 
be  more  than  eight  inches.  The  stone  costs,  delivered 
on  the  railroad,  about  $5.80  per  cord,  which  would  lay 
about  three  rods  in  length.  The  earth  work,  hauling, 
and  laying  the  stone  was  let  by  contract  to  the  lowest 
bidders,  and  varied  from  $1.60  per  rod  where  the  mate- 
rial did  not  have  to  be  hauled  more  than  one -half  mile, 
to  $5.50  per  rod  where  the  distance  was  five  miles. 

"  The  act  authorizing  the  issue  of  bonds  also  provides 
that  a  sum  not  exceeding  two  mills  each  year  could  be 
spread  upon  the  cities  and  townships,  including  the 
stone  road  district,  and  the  money  thus  raised,  about 
$30,000  annually,  could  be  used  in  extending  and 
repairing  the  roads,  which  has  been  done  each  year, 
until  there  are  at  present  about  fifty  miles  in  good 
condition. 

"  The  cities  have  paid  about  nine-tenths  of  the  whole 
amount  expended.  The  average  cost  has  been  about  $6 
per  rod." 

Returning  to  cases  where  the  material  is  close  at 
hand,  AVC  have  another  cheap  road  in  Hopewell,  Mercer 
County,  N.J. 

In  this  case  small  field  stones  were  delivered  in  the 
road-bed,  and  the  top  ones  broken  by  hand,  for  35  cents 


54  NEW  EOADS  AND    ROAD   LAWS. 

per  ton;  this  was  covered  with  screenings  from  a  stone- 
crusher  and  made  an  excellent  road,  at  a  cost  for  single 
track  of  about  81000  per  mile. 

Professor  Miller,  Director  of  the  Maryland  Agricul- 
tural Experiment  Section,  at  the  late  meeting  of  the 
State  Road  League  in  Baltimore,  gave  an  instance  of 
the  improvement  of  a  bit  of  very  bad  road  by  the 
co-operation  of  the  road  supervisor  and  the  neighboring 
farmers,  through  whose  efforts  a  half-mile  of  excellent 
stone  pike  had  been  built  for  $200. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

INEFFECTIVE   COUNTY   ROAD   LAWS.  —  THE   LOCAL 
OPTION   LAW    OF   NEW   JERSEY. 

VERY  high  hopes  were  entertained  by  the  friends  of 
road  improvement  in  New  York,  of  immediate  good 
results  to  flow  from  the  optional  County  Road  Law, 
enacted  in  that  State  last  winter  through  the  persistent 
effort  of  Governor  Flower  and  others;  but  these  hopes 
have  faded  steadily  as  board  after  board  of  supervisors 
has  rejected  the  law,  on  the  ground  of  its  being  unsatis- 
factory to  their  several  constituencies.  In  Missouri  the 
same  state  of  things  prevails,  and  nearly  the  same  in 
Michigan,  where  only  two  or  three  counties  have 
accepted  the  law,  although  the  constitution  of  the 
State  was  amended  expressly  to  admit  its  passage. 

All  this  seems  to  indicate  that  legislation  in  this 
direction  has  gone  beyond  the  education  of  the  mass  of 
voters,  and  that  a  new  line  of  advance  must  be  secured. 
Under  these  circumstances  we  turn  naturally  to  those 
various  other  methods  of  improvement  which  have  been 
more  successfully  introduced  and  are  in  actual  and 
effective  practice.  Among  these  none  is  so  conspicu- 
ous as  the  New  Jersey  Local  Option  and  Co-operation 

55 


56  NEIV  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

Plan  briefly  described  in  Chapter  II.  This  plan  in 
detail  is  as  follows :  — 

The  law  provides  that  "  whenever  there  shall  be  pre- 
sented to  the  board  of  chosen  freeholders  of  any  county 
a  petition  signed  by  the  owners  of  at  least  two-thirds  of 
the  lands  and  real  estate  fronting  or  bordering  on  any 
public  road  or  section  of  road  in  such  county,  not  being 
less  than  one  mile  in  length,  praying  the  board  to  cause 
such  road  or  section  to  be  improved  under  this  act,  and 
setting  forth  that  the}'  are  willing  that  the  peculiar 
benefits  conferred  on  the  lands  fronting  or  bordering  on 
said  road  or  section  shall  be  assessed  thereon,  in  propor- 
tion to  the  benefits  conferred,  to  an  amount  not  exceed- 
ing 10  per  centum  of  the  entire  cost  of  the  improvement, 
it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  board  to  cause  such  improve- 
ments to  be  made ;  provided^  that  the  estimated  cost  of 
all  improvements  made  under  this  act  in  any  county  in 
any  one  year  shall  not  exceed  one-half  of  1  per  centum  of 
the  ratables  of  such  county  for  the  last  preceding  year. 

"  4.  And  be  it  enacted,  that  one-third  of  the  cost  of  all 
roads  constructed  in  this  State  under  this  act  shall  be 
paid  for  out  of  the  State  Treasury;  provided,  that  the 
amount  so  paid  shall  not  in  any  one  year  exceed  the 
sum  of  ^75,000;  if  one-third  of  said  cost  shall  exceed 
said  sum,  the  said  $75,000  shall  be  apportioned  by  the 
Governor  and  the  President  of  the  State  Board  of  Agri- 
culture amongst  the  counties  of  the  State  in  proportion 
to  the  cost  of  roads  constructed  therein  for  such  year,  as 
shown  by  the  statements  of  costs  filed  in  the  office  of 
the  President  of  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture." 


INEFFECTIVE  COUNTY  ROAD  LAWS.  57 

Under  this  law,  as  before  stated,  10  miles  of  road  were 
built  in  1892,  25  miles  in  1893,  and  over  60  miles  are 
laid  out  for  the  current  year. 

This  is  a  satisfactory  rate  of  increase,  and  shows  that 
this  system  has  met  the  wants  of  the  people  of  New 
Jersey  in  a  remarkable  degree. 

It  has  the  merit  that  it  offers  a  local  initiative,  and 
does  not  require  the  education  of  a  whole  county  to 
start  the  Avork ;  while  the  object  lessons  with  which  it 
is  filling  the  State  are  fast  completing  the  general 
education  of  the  people  on  the  road  question. 

It  gives  the  opportunity  for  any  community  of  enter- 
prising citizens,  or  for  those  having  especially  bad  roads 
or  especial  need  of  good  ones,  to  help  themselves  with- 
out delay,  and  to  have  the  help  of  the  county  and  State 
as  well. 

It  "helps  those  who  help  themselves,"  in  a  practical 
fashion;  and  no  locality  can  be  jealous  of  the  help  so 
given  to  others,  since  the  same  help  is  offered  to  all. 

The  authors  of  this  law  are  justly  proud  of  its  suc- 
cess, and  proud  of  the  fact  that  their  State  is  the  first  to 
give  direct  aid  to  road-building  through  any  co-operative 
plan. 

If  it  shall  prove  that  general  county  road-building  is 
in  advance  of  public  sentiment,  it  would  seem  wise  for 
other  States  to  avail  themselves  of  the  experience  of 
New  Jersey,  whereby,  instead  of  awaiting  the  slow  pro- 
cess of  education  alone,  they  can  have  education  and 
road- building  going  on  together,  hand  in  hand,  and 
with  constantly  augmented  speed  and  power;  for  in 


58  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD   LAWS. 

every  State,  and  probably  in  every  county,  some  neigh- 
borhoods will  be  found  with  enterprise  and  courage 
enough  to  take  prompt  advantage  of  such  an  opportu- 
nity. 

This  plan  can  no  longer  be  regarded  as  an  experiment, 
since  its  success  has  been  so  pronounced;  still,  it  may 
be  entered  upon  on  ever  so  small  a  scale  and  its  applica- 
tion expanded  by  degrees,  as  its  merits  are  shown,  in 
each  State.  It  requires  no  costly  State  organization, 
but  may  be  committed  at  first,  as  it  is  in  New  Jersey, 
to  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture,  or  to  some  other 
existing  organization. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

PROPOSED   AMENDMENTS   TO   THE    NEW   JERSEY 
ROAD   LAW. 

THE  State  Aid  Law  of  New  Jersey  has  been  so 
successful  in  practice  that  any  suggestions  of  improve- 
ment in  that  law,  made  by  those  concerned  in  its  admin- 
istration, are  of  especial  importance. 

At  the  recent  meeting  of  the  State  Road  Association 
at  Trenton,  the  President,  Hon.  Edward  Burrough, 
who,  as  Chairman  of  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture, 
has  charge  of  the  execution  of  the  present  law,  made 
the  following  recommendations  for  its  amendment:  — 

"1.  Amend  Section  1:  Making  it  obligatory  for  the 
engineer  to  file  a  copy  of  the  specifications  and  a  diagram 
of  the  road  with  the  President  of  the  State  Board  of 
Agriculture  (or  the  State  officer  who  executes  the  func- 
tions now  performed  by  him). 

"  2.  Amend  Section  2 :  (a)  Requiring  the  supervisor 
to  be  selected  from  among  the  signers  of  the  petition  or 
a  judicious  freeholder  residing  in  the  taxing  district, 
or  in  one  of  the  townships  through  which  the  road  runs. 

"(5)  Reduce  the  pay  of  supervisor  from  $5  to  $3  per 
day. 

59 


60  NEW  ROADS  AND   ROAD   LAWS. 

"(V)  Compel  the  townships  to  do  the  grading,  accord- 
ing to  lines  approved  by  engineer  and  State  officer  as 
their  contribution. 

"(tf)  Contractor  to  keep  the  road  in  repair  for  one 
year  after  the  acceptance  of  the  same  by  Board  of  Free- 
holders, and  5  per  cent  of  the  cost  to  be  and  remain  in 
county  treasury  until  the  expiration  of  the  yearly  limit 
(this  can  be  provided  in  the  contracts  now). 

"  3.  The  duty  now  performed  by  the  President  of  the 
State  Board  of  Agriculture  to  be  placed  on  a  State  officer 
known  as  Commissioner  of  Roads,  who  shall  have  an 
office  in  the  State  Capitol,  and  be  furnished  with  office 
supplies,  maps,  etc.,  and  who  shall  be  considered  in  all 
respects  a  State  officer,  and  supplied  with  railroad  passes, 
and  have  his  actual  travelling  expenses  when  on  duty 
for  the  State  paid,  and  who  shall  have  a  stipulated  salary 
in  lieu  of  all  fees  or  other  compensation  of  any  kind. 

"4.  Increase  the  annual  State  appropriation  to  at 
least  $150,000,  and  the  percentage  of  State  aid  to  (say) 
50  per  cent.  Should  the  State  do  this,  it  might  be  well 
to  amend  Section  7  so  as  to  reduce  the  amount  author- 
ized by  a  county  to  be  spent,  to  one-third  of  1  per  cent 
of  the  ratables." 

After  much  discussion,  mainly  on  the  subject  of 
extending  the  State  aid  to  the  construction  of  gravel 
and  shell  roads  as  well  as  of  stone  roads,  the  Associa- 
tion finally  agreed  to  recommend  the  following  amend- 
ments to  the  Road  Law:  — 

"First.  That  the  amount  to  be  appropriated  by  the 
county  in  any  one  year  for  road-building  and  repairs 


AMENDMENTS  TO   THE  NEW  JERSEY  ROAD  LAW.     61 

shall  not  exceed  one-fourth  of  1  per  cent  on  the  ratables 
of  said  county. 

"Second.  That  the  State  shall  pay  40  per  cent,  the 
townships  25  per  cent,  the  adjacent  taxpayers  10  per 
cent,  and  the  county  the  balance. 

"Third.  That  after  the  word  'stone'  in  the  section 
describing  the  material  of  the  road-bed,  be  inserted  the 
words  'oyster  shells,  gravel,  or  iron  bog  ore.' 

"Fourth.  That  the  Board  of  Freeholders  shall  select 
from  the  roads  petitioned  for  the  ones  to  be  built,  they 
having  in  mind  the  most  used  ones  and  the  distributing 
of  the  benefits  to  all  parts  of  the  county. 

"Fifth.  That  the  President  of  the  State  Board  shall 
not  approve  of  more  roads  in  one  year  than  the  State 
appropriation  will  pay  its  40  per  cent  of  the  building, 
nor  the  Board  of  Freeholders  put  under  contract  in  any 
one  year  more  than  the  year's  appropriation  will  pay 


CHAPTER   IX. 

FURTHER   MODIFICATION    OF    THE    SAME   LAW    SUG- 
GESTED. 

THE  special  feature  of  this  law,  aside  from  the  State 
aid  of  one-third,  is  the  giving  to  the  property-holders 
along  any  section  of  road  the  right  to  demand  the 
improvement  of  their  road  upon  their  agreeing  to  bear 
one-tenth  of  the  cost  of  the  work. 

In  some  of  the  Western  States  roads  are  built  by 
assessing  a  part  of  the  cost  on  a  strip  of  one,  two,  or 
three  miles  wide  on  each  side  of  the  road,  and  the  part 
of  the  cost  so  assessed  is  generally  much  more  than  one- 
tenth.  But  neither  of  these  plans  is  quite  just.  In 
the  one  case,  the  property-holders  fronting  on  the  road 
may  be  very  little  more  benefited  than  those  behind 
them,  Avho  use  it  quite  as  much  as  the  abutters,  while 
they  pay  no  more  than  distant  citizens  of  the  county ; 
in  the  Western  method,  a  strip  of  any  given  width 
might  take  in  farms  that  were  not  benefited,  or  leave 
out  others  that  were.  In  fact,  the  benefits  will  rarely, 
if  ever,  follow  parallel  lines.  Roads  that  are  important 
enough  to  require  systematic  reconstruction  will  gener- 
ally bo  such  as  radiate  from  railway  stations  or  boat 

62 


FURTHER  MODIFICATION   OF  THE  SAME  LAW.      63 

landings,  market  towns,  county  seats,  or  villages,  and 
the  district  benefited  by  each  will  widen  rapidly  as  the 
distance  from  the  common  centre  increases.  Taking 
the  case  of  four  main  roads  diverging  from  a  railway 
station,  at  right  angles  to  each  other,  these  roads  at  a 
distance  of  five  miles  will  be  seven  miles  apart,  and  the 
benefit  district  of  each  will  be  a  triangle  with  its  apex 
at  the  station  and  a  width  of  seven  miles  at  the  base. 
The  bounds  of  the  district,  moreover,  will  be  modified 
by  many  such  natural  obstacles  as  streams,  swamps,  hills, 
valleys,  etc.,  which  will  divert  travel  to  or  from  a  par- 
ticular road,  or  by  artificial  conditions,  like  the  location 
of  factories,  creameries,  grain  elevators,  schools,  or 
churches.  All  these  conditions,  however,  are  suscep- 
tible of  a  fairly  exact  determination,  and  the  benefit 
district  of  a  road  can  be  almost  as  accurately  defined  as 
the  drainage  area  of  a  stream.  When  it  is  so  defined, 
such  a  district  forms  an  ideal  unit  of  action  for  road 
improvement;  the  interests  of  all  its  people  are  identi- 
cal though  unequal,  and  the  share  of  expense  each  ought 
to  bear  can  be  safely  left  to  the  commissioners  charged 
with  its  assessment,  with  an  appeal  to  the  courts,  as  it 
is  done  under  the  New  Jersey  law;  so  that  nothing 
should  prevent  the  harmonious  action  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  district,  and  there  need  be  no  fear  of  unequal  or 
undue  burdens  being  imposed  on  any  one  of  them,  the 
only  question  to  settle  being  whether,  as  a  body,  they 
can  afford  to  be  assessed  for  their  share  of  the  cost  of 
the  road. 

Just  what  should  be  the  share  of  those  "peculiarly 


64  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

benefited,"  or,  in  other  words,  of  the  "habitual  users" 
of  a  certain  section  of  road,  is  open  to  much  discussion. 
At  first  glance  it  would  seem  proper  that  it  should  be  a 
large  one;  but  when  we  consider  that  the  same  people 
must  ultimately,  through  their  county  and  State  taxes, 
help  to  pay  for  all  the  roads  in  the  State,  a  very  moder- 
ate share  would  seem  sufficient;  and  if  this  plan  is  to 
be  relied  upon  to  produce  object  lessons  for  the  whole 
State,  it  must  be  made  attractive  enough  to  secure  its 
prompt  acceptance  by  many  localities.  The  benefit 
district  would  include,  of  course,  much  more  territory 
than  the  abutting  farms,  and  should  therefore  pay  more 
than  one-tenth,  if  that  is  the  just  share  of  such  farms ; 
if  it  paid  one-sixth,  and  the  State  one-third,  the  county 
would  have  to  pay  only  an  even  half. 

The  Local  Option  Law  does  not  supersede  the  County 
Road  Law  in  New  Jersey,  and  should  not  in  any  other 
State.  It  fills  a  gap  until  the  County  System  can  be 
established  by  the  acceptance  of  the  people ;  it  applies 
more  especially  to  the  distinctly  rural  regions.  Coun- 
ties which  are  largely  suburban,  or  which  contain  large 
cities,  can  see  more  direct  advantages  in  the  building 
of  good  roads  through  immediate  rise  in  value  of  lots 
and  lands,  and  will  be  more  ready  to  incur  the  necessary 
expense  or  debt  than  those  situated  at  a  distance  from 
the  centres  of  population  and  dependent  wholly  upon 
agriculture. 

Following  the  New  Jersey  law  in  general  plan,  a 
Benefit  District  Act  would  take  something  of  the  fol- 
lowing form :  — 


FURTHER   MODIFICATION   OF  THE  SAME  LA  W.      65 

1.  Whenever  there  shall  be  presented  to  the  Board  of 
Supervisors  of  any  county  in  the  State,  a  petition  signed 
by  the  owners  of  not  less  than  one-half  of  the  lands  front- 
ing or  bordering  on  any  section  of  road  already  estab- 
lished, or  proposed  to  be  established,  in  such  county, 
asking  for  a  survey  and  estimate  of  the  cost  of  building 
or  rebuilding  such  road  in  a  substantial  and  permanent 
manner,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  Board  to  cause  such 
survey  and  estimate  to  be  made  and  suitably  published 
for  the  information  of  the  petitioners. 

2.  Whenever,  thereafter,  the  petitioner  shall  file  with 
the  Board  of  Supervisors  a  map  or  description  of  the 
lands  which  will,  in  their  opinion,  be  peculiarly  bene- 
fited by  the  construction  or  improvement  of  such  road, 
together  with  the  written  consent  and  request  of  the 
owners  of  three-fifths  of  such  lands,  that  all  the  lands 
so  benefited,  together  with  the  personal  property  in  the 
same  district,  shall  be  assessed  in  proportion  to  the 
benefits  conferred,  for  the  cost  of  such  construction  or 
improvement,  to  the  amount  of  one-sixth  of  the  total 
cost  thereof,  payable  in  six  annual  instalments,  it  shall 
be  the  duty  of  the  said  Board  of  Supervisors  to  cause 
such  road  to  be  constructed  or  improved  in  the  manner 
provided 'by  the  County  Road  Law  for  the  construction 
of  county  roads,  whether  said  Board  has   or   has    not 
adopted  the  general  county  system  under  said  law. 

3.  The  said  Board  of  Supervisors  shall  assess  upon 
any  township  in  which  said  road  shall  lie,  one-sixth  of 
the  cost  of  the  portion  thereof  lying  in  said  township, 
and   shall  pay  one-third  of  the  total  cost  out   of  the 
county  treasury.  E 


66  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

4.  The  remaining  one-third  of  the  cost  of  all  such 
roads  shall  be  paid  out  of  the  State  treasury  upon  the 
certificate  of  the  State  Engineer  that  the  road  has  been 
properly   constructed   and   that   he    has   furnished  the 
specifications  therefor,  and  has  properly  supervised  the 
construction  thereof;  and  for  this  purpose  he  is  author- 
ized to  appoint  an  inspector  to  be  paid  out  of  the  State 
treasury,  at  the  rate  of  four  dollars  per  day. 

5.  All  roads  built  under  the  provisions  of  this  act 
shall  be  held  to  be  county  roads,  and  shall  be  kept 
permanently  in  repair  by  the  county. 

6.  The  assessment  of  one-sixth  upon  the  township 
shall  be  spread  over  a  term  of  —  years,  or  the  township 
may  issue  and  sell  bonds  for  its  prompt  payment. 

7.  The  county  m.iy  issue  and  sell  its  bonds  for  the 
purposes  of  this  act,  as  provided  by  the  County  Road 
La  v  for  the  building  of  county  roads. 

Upon  the  basis  suggested,  the  cost  to  the  inhabitants 
of  the  benefit  district  would  not  be  onerous  compared 
with  the  benefits  conferred,  nor  even  when  compared 
with  the  customary  taxation  for  road  purposes. 

Supposing  the  district  to  average  two  miles  in  width, 
there  would  be  an  area  of  two  square  miles,  or  1280  acres 
of  land,  to  bear  the  one-sixth  part  of  the  cost  of  each 
mile  of  road.  If  we  should  double  the  cost  of  the 
Canandaigua  roads  heretofore  mentioned,  as  a  safe  esti- 
mate for  average  country  roads,  we  should  have  $1800 
per  mile.  One-sixth  of  this  would  be  $300,  or  24  cents 
per  acre;  or,  if  paid  in  six  years,  4  cents  per  acre 
annually.  This  is  supposing  the  whole  amount  to  be 


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FURTHER  MODIFICATION   OF  THE  SAME  LAW.      67 

assessed  on  farming  lands  and  the  usual  personal 
property  of  farmers.  If  there  were  villages,  factories, 
mills,  or  banks,  on  the  line  of  road,  or  persons  pay- 
ing taxes  on  any  considerable  amounts  of  personal 
estate,  the  amount  per  acre  would  be  lightened  accord- 
ingly. 

The  justice  of  including  personal  property  in  this 
assessment  can  hardly  be  questioned  when  the  same  is 
done  by  the  county  and  State  in  respect  to  the  other 
five-sixths  of  the  cost  of  the  road. 

The  amount  paid  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  district  in 
the  period  of  six  years  would  be  trifling  compared  with 
the  advantages  of  the  improvement  to  them  during  that 
time;  the  future  advantages  would  be  clear  gain. 
Another  gain  would  be  in  the  reduced  cost  of  mainte- 
nance of  a  good  road,  as  compared  with  a  bad  one. 
The  average  expenditure  on  country  roads  is  probably 
$30  per  mile  per  year  ;  the  few  stone  roads  in  this 
country  have  drawn  so  much  travel  from  other  roads 
that  the  cost  of  repairs  on  them  is  above  a  proper  allow- 
ance. In  some  cases,  however,  it  is  given  as  low  as 
$10  per  mile  yearly,  and  on  purely  country  roads 
should  not  exceed  $20  per  mile  for  many  years. 

The  New  Jersey  law  makes  all  roads  built  on  the 
co-operative  plan,  county  roads,  and  provides  that  they 
are  to  be  maintained  at 'the  county  cost  forever.  This 
arrangement  would  enable  the  benefit  district  to  put  all 
its  ordinary  road  tax  on  the  improvement  of  branch 
roads  tributary  to  the  improved  road,  and  gradually 
bring  these  roads  up  to  an  equally  good  condition. 


68  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

The  average  annual  road  tax  is  about  10  cents  per 
acre,  and  the  increase  of  4  cents  would  not  be  seri- 
ously felt,  but  it  might  be  judicious  to  exempt  the 
benefit  district  from  a  part  of  the  ordinary  road  taxes 
during  the  six  years  period,  and  place  a  much  higher 
share  of  the  improvement  tax  upon  it. 


CHAPTER  X. 

STATE  AID   AND   THE  METHOD   OF   GIVING  IT. 

ONE  chief  advantage  in  giving  State  aid  to  road 
construction  is  that  the  cit}^  population  of  the  State  is 
thereby  enabled  to  contribute  something  toward  its  due 
proportion  of  the  needed  outlay:  we  may  say  enabled 
rather  than  compelled,  since  a  willingness  to  do  this 
has  been  in  many  cases  especially  conspicuous. 

Inhabitants  of  cities  find  their  own  interests  sub- 
served by  the  improvement  of  country  roads,  in  many 
ways;  indeed,  the  tax  levied  by  bad  roads  is  a  more 
direct  money  tax  upon  them  than  upon  the  rural  popu- 
lation. The  farmer,  in  the  season  of  mud,  can  stay  at 
home  and  live  on  what  he  has  raised,  and  when  he  is 
driven  by  necessity  or  tempted  by  high  prices  to  drag 
some  of  his  produce  to  market,  unless  he  hires  the 
hauling  done  he  does  not  pay  the  mud  tax  in  hard  cash, 
and  often  does  not  feel  it,  while  the  city  dweller  can- 
not live  without  his  daily  supplies  from  the  farm,  and 
must  pay  daily  and  in  money  the  larger  share  of  all  extra 
cost  attending  their  transportation,  wherever  and  how- 
soever it  may  have  been  incurred. 

In  Springfield,  111.,  a  few  years  ago,  during  a  long 

69 


70  NEW  ROADS  AND  HO  AD  LAWS. 

period  of  wet  weather  in  the  early  spring,  the  price  of 
hay  went  up  to  $30  per  ton,  and  the  market  was  sup- 
plied by  railroad  from  outside  of  the  State,  while  on 
farms  a  few  miles  from  the  city,  hay  was  plenty  at  $10 
per  ton,  but  embargoed  by  mud.  In  this  case  the  mud 
tax  could  not  have  been  more  direct  if  it  had  been  levied 
on  every  horse  and  cow  in  that  city,  and  if  so  levied, 
the  rate  would  probably  not  have  been  less  than  820  per 
head  on  all  such  animals.  The  farmer  lost  a  market, 
but  the  townsman  lost  money  in  hand.  Instances  of  this 
sort  could  be  multiplied  indefinitely.  Again,  all  the 
active  business  of  cities,  whether  commercial  or  produc- 
tive, would  clearly  be  promoted  by  the  improvement  of 
country  roads,  through  the  cheapening  of  the  distribu- 
tion of  goods  and  collection  of  raw  materials,  while  the 
yearly  increasing  sojourn  of  city  residents  in  country 
districts  gives  them  a  very  direct  interest  in  the  condi- 
tion of  the  highways  and  byways  therein. 

Taking  for  granted,  then,  the  willingness  of  the  cities 
to  contribute  their  share,  and  assuming  the  recent 
action  of  various  legislatures  as  indicating  a  general 
disposition  toward  State  aid  in  some  form,  the  question 
as  to  what  shape  such  aid  should  take  becomes  pertinent 
and  important. 

Massachusetts  boldly  proposes  the  building  of  State 
roads  wherever  its  commissioners  may  approve;  New 
York  has  twice  nearly  passed  a  law  appropriating  ten 
millions  of  dollars  for  a  great  system  of  highways 
uniting  all  the  county  seats  in  the  State,  on  east  a:ul 
west,  and  north  and  south  lines;  while  Washington 


STATE  AID,    AND   THE  METHOD   OF  GIVING  IT.     71 

and  Idaho  are  both  building  State  roads  at  this  moment. 
New  Jersey,  on  the  other  hand,  gives  a  local  contribu- 
tion to  the  pioneers  of  road-building  in  any  part  of  the 
State,  and  Pennsylvania  proposes  to  follow  this  example 
on  a  vastly  larger  scale. 

The  Massachusetts  law  has  the  prudent  proviso,  that 
while  the  commission  may  lay  out  and  establish  State 
roads  ad  libitum,  such  roads  are  only  to  be  built  when 
the  Legislature  makes  the  required  appropriations,  and 
it  remains  to  be  seen  whether  local  jealousies  will  not 
prevent  any  practical  result  from  this  law.  In  the  New 
York  plan,  while  local  jealousy  on  a  large  scale  is  done 
away  with  by  the  grandeur  of  the  scheme  (a  sort  of 
universal  log-rolling),  it  is  probable  that  when  all  the 
lines  were  laid  out,  and  it  became  evident  that  in  some 
places  stretches  of  practically  useless  road  were  to  be 
built  to  carry  out  a  geographical  plan,  while  a  large 
share  of  the  business  centres  and  actual  thoroughfares 
in  the  State  were  neglected,  such  an  opposition  would 
speedily  arise  as  would  put  an  end  to  the  whole  scheme 
and  leave  the  State  worse  off  than  before. 

The  same  money  spent  in  building  the  same  length 
of  road  in  each  county,  but  so  located  as  to  radiate  from 
shipping  points  and  other  business  centres,  and  to  con- 
nect towns  and  villages  not  joined  by  railroads,  would 
be  of  much  greater  benefit;  and  how  much  greater  still 
if  it  were  used  to  stimulate  local  effort  and  contribu- 
tion, and  so  induced  the  expenditure  of  twice  or  thrice 
as  much  by  counties,  towns,  and  neighborhoods,  in  the 
same  direction! 


72  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD   LAWS. 

Ten  millions  of  dollars  spent  by  the  State,  on  the  NCAV 
Jersey  basis  of  one-third  State  aid,  would  secure  the 
expenditure  of  thirty  millions,  and,  at  an  average  of 
$1500  per  mile,  the  building  of  20,000  miles  of  road, 
which  is  about  one-fourth  of  all  the  roads  of  the  State. 

An  important  branch  of  State  aid,  or  rather  a  pre- 
liminary to  such  aid,  in  States  which  have  not  reached 
the  point  of  helping  in  actual  road  construction,  consists 
in  providing, — 

1.  A  permanent  highway  commission. 

2.  A  State  engineer  for  roads,  with  suitable  assist- 
ance. 

3.  A  careful  survey  of  the  State  for  road  materials. 
None  of  these  involve  any  great  outlay  compared  with 

the  benefits  to  be  expected,  nor  do  they  necessarily 
commit  the  State  to  any  further  action  involving  such 
outlay. 

A  model  for  the  first  is  found  in  the  Massachusetts 
law,  epitomized  in  the  appendix  to  this  volume,  and 
for  the  second,  in  the  report  and  bill  of  the  Maryland 
Road  League. 

Regarding  the  need  of  a  survey  of  road  materials,  the 
Massachusetts  commission  uses  the  following  language : 
"  To  put  the  road-masters  of  the  State  in  possession  of 
the  knowledge  required  in  their  difficult  tasks,  it  will 
be  necessary  to  make  a  somewhat  careful  study  of  the 
bed  rocks,  from  the  point  of  view  of  their  fitness  for  the 
construction  of  highways,  and  to  delineate  the  results 
on  appropriate  maps,  to  be  accompanied  by  the  necessary 
descriptions.  The  information  thus  obtained  should  be 


STATE  AID,    AND    THE  METHOD   OF  GIVING  IT.     73 

so  presented  that  the  supervisors  of  highways  in  each 
town  may  know  the  relative  value  of  all  the  resources  in 
the  way  of  construction  materials  which  they  can  com- 
mand. The  cost  of  such  an  examination  and  descrip- 
tion would  probably  not  exceed  the  expense  now 
incurred  in  constructing  ten  miles  of  ordinary  good 
highway,  and  the  saving  which  would  be  effected  in 
any  one  year  would  probably  repay  many  fold  the 
expense  of  the  inquiry." 

In  connection  with  and  supplementary  to  this  survey, 
the  Highway  Commission  might  be  charged  to  negotiate 
with  all  railroad  companies  in  the  State,  and  if  need  be 
in  adjoining  States,  in  order  to  secure  the  lowest  possi- 
ble rates  of  transportation,  not  only  for  the  best  surfac- 
ing metal  obtainable,  but  for  such  inferior  materials  as 
wo  aid  serve  for  the  substructure  of  roads,  where  the 
best  qualities  of  stone  would  be  too  costly.  On  many 
accounts  this  service  might  be  the  most  important  the 
Commission  could  render.  The  railroad  companies  are 
fully  alive  to  their  interest  in  highway  improvement, 
and  many  of  them  are  prepared  to  make  great  conces- 
sions in  its  aid  when  approached  with  the  full  authority 
of  the  State  and  the  assurance  of  its  earnest  effort  in 
that  direction. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

ANOTHER    FORM   OF    STATE   AID.       CONVICT   LABOR. 

THERE  are  three  sides  to  the  question  of  working 
convicts  on  the  highways,  or  rather  two  sides  and  a 
broad  middle  ground.  The  negative  side  is  taken  by 
the  Prison  Association  of  New  York,  and  by  penologists 
generally,  and  is  defended  by  the  New  York  society  in 
this  language :  — 

"Touching  the  proposed  law,  entitled  'An  act  to  pro- 
vide for  the  employment  of  convict  labor  on  the  wagon 
roads  of  this  State,'  the  following  resolution  was 
unanimously  adopted  by  the  executive  committee  of  the 
Prison  Association  of  New  York :  — 

"' Resolved,  That  this  association  most  emphatically 
deems  the  employment  of  convicts  upon  the  public  roads 
as  demoralizing  alike  to  the  public  and  the  convicts 
themselves ;  and  that  the  corresponding  secretary  be 
instructed  to  reply  to  the  communication  of  the  New 
York  State  Board  of  Trade  an  expression  of  the  opinion 
of  this  association.' 

"  There  were  present  at  the  meeting  of  the  executive 
committee,  Messrs.  Edward  B.  Merrill,  James  McKeen, 

Lispenard  Stewart,  Felix  Adler,  John  R.  Thomas,  Ben- 

74 


CONVICT  LA II OH.  75 

jamin  Ogden  Chisolm,  Frederick  G.  Lee,  and  the  cor- 
responding secretary. 

"  There  was  a  full  expression  of  opinion,  and  previous 
utterances  of  the  association  on  the  subject  were  brought 
before  the  meeting.  The  feeling  expressed  was  — 

"1.  That  such  employment  of  convicts  would  as 
seriously  interfere  with  labor  outside  the  prisons  as  any 
other  form  of  convict  labor. 

"  2.  That  the  State  convicts  could  only  be  employed 
on  State  roads,  unless  there  was  a  violation  of  the  law 
which  prohibits  the  employment  of  convicts  under  con- 
tracts. If  the  counties  employed  them,  they  would  be 
obliged  to  make  a  contract  with  the  State  for  them. 

"3.  That  a  very  large  body  of  keepers  would  be 
required  to  prevent  escapes;  that  escapes  would  fre- 
quently occur;  and  that  there  would  be  a  constant 
necessity  for  shooting  convicts  in  order  to  prevent  their 
getting  away.  There  would  soon  be  a  death  rate  among 
our  convict  population  approaching  that  known  to  have 
existed  among  the  convicts  of  the  South  who  were 
employed  on  public  works. 

"4.  In  many  cases  the  prejudice  against  convict 
1  ibor  would  require  a  military  force  to  protect  the  con- 
victs who  were  at  work. 

"  5.  (a)  It  has  been  found  a  hardening  and  demoraliz- 
ing process  to  the  convicts  themselves  to  employ  them 
in  public  places ;  (£)  and  it  has  been  found  by  penolo- 
gists  to-be  a  demoralizing  process  to  the  public  at  large 
to  see  this  daily  spectacle  of  shame. 


"These  are  but  a  part  of  the  reasons  advanced  for  a 

K-Stt^ 

i-rtU*     <**<& 

X       **  .      ~<¥*  ^  xS  -it 


76  NEW   ROADS   AND   ROAD   LAWS. 

protest  from  the  Prison  Association  of  New  York  upon 
the  passage  of  this  bill.  I  am  sure  that  an  investiga- 
tion will  show  you  that  this  decision  is  fully  in  harmony 
with  that  of  the  most  advanced  penologists,  not  only  of 
this  country,  but  of  the  entire  world. 

"  With  great  respect,  I  am  yours,  very  sincerely, 
"WM.  M.  F.  ROUND, 

"  Corresponding  Secretary. 
" FRANK  S.  GARDNER,  ESQ., 

"/Secretary  Neiv  York  State  Board  of  Trade, 
55  Liberty  Street,  Neiv  York." 

This  is  a  view  of  the  question  natural  to  men  whose 
minds  are  fixed  on  the  need  to  society  of  the  reformation 
of  criminals;  opposed  to  it  is  the  opinion  of  many 
equally  good  citizens  who  seek  the  public  good  in  other 
ways,  and  especially  in  the  direction  of  improved  means 
of  communication,  and  who  see,  in  the  multitude  sup- 
ported in  idleness  in  our  jails  and  prisons  as  a  reward 
for  crime,  or  employed  in  prison  manufactures  to  the 
injury  of  honest  artisans,  a  labor  force  sufficient  to 
mend  all  the  roads  in  the  country  if  it  could  be  so 
applied,  and  which  they  believe  could  be  so  applied 
without  prejudice  to  free  labor,  since  it  would  be 
employed  on  work  not  now  done  at  all  and  would 
therefore  not  compete  with  any  class  of  workingmen. 
The  advocates  of  convict  road-work  insist  further  that 
the  outdoor  life  and  exercise  afforded  by  such  employ- 
ment must  benefit  the  health  and  morals  of  the  prisoners, 
that  the  public  and  visible  punishment  of  criminals 


CONVICT  LABOR.  77 

would  deter  others  from  the  commission  of  crime,  and 
that  the  labor  so  supplied  would  accomplish  a  great  good 
not  attainable  by  any  other  means. 

They  point  to  the  practical  working  of  the  system  in 
many  places,  for  instance,  at  Cranston,  R.I.,  and  at 
Charlotte,  N.C. :  in  the  latter  place,  convicts  have 
built  many  miles  of  beautiful  roads  running  out 
of  the  city  in  all  directions,  and  with  such  satis- 
faction to  the  people  that  the  special  law  under 
which  it  was  done  is  now  being  extended  to  other 
counties. 

In  other  Southern  States,  where  the  Convict  Lease 
System  with  all  its  objectionable  features  still  prevails, 
it  is  clear  that  a  transfer  of  the  prisoners  from  irrespon- 
sible and  often  inhumane  private  employ  to  the  care 
of  States  or  counties  would  be  a  saving  kindness  to 
them,  while  it  would  wipe  out  a  public  disgrace  and 
benefit  the  entire  community. 

Some  of  the  apprehensions  of  the  New  York  Prison 
Association  do  not  appear  to  have  been  well  founded. 

The  Legislature  passed  the  bill  in  spite  of  their 
protest,  and  an  experiment  having  been  made,  in  the 
employment  at  road-making,  of  the  convicts  at  Clinton 
Prison,  the  results  as  reported  by  Warden  Thayer  "are 
entirely  satisfactory."  There  was  no  interference  with 
the  convicts  by  citizens  except  in  two  cases  where 
intoxicated  men  offered  them  liquor;  no  apparent  de- 
moralizing effects  on  the  prisoners  or  the  public;  no 
shooting  of  convicts,  and  only  three  men  attempted  to 
escape.  The  Warden  therefore,  in  his  report  on  the 


78  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

subject,  concludes  as  follows :  "  That  a  limited  number 
of  convicts  can  be  worked  successfully  is  now  an  estab- 
lished fact." 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  when  we  examine  the 
Warden's  financial  statement,  AVC  find  but  little,  if  any, 
economy  in  the  use  of  convicts,  as  compared  with  the 
employment  of  free  labor  for  the  same  work.  The  cost  of 
guards  and  of  the  search  for  escaped  convicts  was  equal 
to  91  cents  for  each  day's  labor  done,  which,  considering 
the  comparative  efficiency  of  such  labor,  is  very  near  its 
full  value,  the  day's  work  being  only  eight  hours. 

Again,  it  may  be  safely  predicted  that  when  road- 
making  becomes  a  great  business  of  the  country,  the 
introduction  of  labor-saving  appliances  will  do  away 
with  a  large  share  of  the  hand  labor  now  requisite  in 
laying  a  stone  or  gravel  road ;  the  material  being  gener- 
ally transported  by  railroad,  Avill  then  be  transferred  to 
wagons  without  shovelling,  and  from  the  wagons  me- 
chanically spread  in  its  place,  so  that  almost  nothing 
will  be  left  for  convicts  to  do  on  the  line  of  the  road. 

These  considerations  strengthen  the  position  of  those 
who  hold  the  middle  ground  of  the  question,  which  is 
that  State  prisoners  should  be  employed  wholly  in  the 
preparation  of  road  materials,  and  in  places  where  they 
can  be  guarded  and  secluded  as  easily  and  cheaply  as 
in  the  prisons. 

The  plan  proposed  for  this  is  in  substance  as  follows : 
for  the  State,  1.  To  buy  some  of  the  territory  which 
contains  the  best  rock  within  its  limits. 

2.    To  make  the  necessary  railway  connections,  hav- 


CONVICT  LABOR.  79 

ing  first  secured  the  permanent  agreement  of  all  its 
leading  railroad  companies  to  carry  road  materials  at 
the  cost  of  hauling,  on  condition,  if  required,  of  the 
State  furnishing  to  them  a  certain  amount  of  track 
ballast  free  of  charge,  or  at  cost. 

3.  Having  erected  the  necessary  buildings  and  walls 
or  stockades,  and  provided  the  best  machinery  for  quarry- 
ing and  crushing  rock,  to  bring  all  able-bodied  State 
Prison  convicts  and  put  them  at  this  work. 

4.  The  counties  to  put  their  jail  prisoners  and  tramps 
at  the  work  of  grading,  draining,  and  preparing  the 
roads  for  macadamizing. 

5.  The   State  to  furnish  the  broken  stone  free  on 
board  cars,  as  its  contribution  to  road  improvement. 

The  cost  to  the  State,  in  addition  to  the  maintenance 
and  guarding  of  the  convicts,  would  be  only  that  of  fuel 
and  oil,  explosives,  and  use  of  machinery,  or,  according 
to  the  Massachusetts  Commission  report,  6^  cents  per 
cubic  yard  of  broken  stone,  amounting,  for  the  1200 
yards  required  to  lay  a  mile  of  single  track  road  9  feet 
wide  and  8  inches  deep,  to  $81.60. 

The  remaining  cost  would  be  the  railroad  freight, 
amounting,  for  an  average  distance  of  100  miles,  to  not 
more  than  28  cents  per  yard,*  $336;  the  wagon  haul, 
averaging  possibly  2-J-  miles,  30  cents  per  yard,  $360; 
and  the  rolling,  superintendence,  and  incidentals  (not 
including  engineering,  which  would  be  a  general  county 
charge)  10  cents  per  yard;  making  the  total  local  cost 
68  cents  per  cubic  yard,  or  $816  per  mile. 
*  See  page  86. 


80  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

The  wagon  haul  is  estimated  on  the  basis  of  the 
country  price  of  $3  per  day  for  team  and  driver,  and  of 
hauling  (over  the  hard  road  as  it  is  made)  two  yards  at 
a  load,  and  an  average  travel  for  a  team  of  25  miles  a 
day. 

This  plan  brings  the  expense  of  road  improvement  so 
low  that  no  elaborate  scheme  of  taxation,  bonding,  or 
borrowing  would  be  necessary,  and  all  its  benefits  could 
be  speedily  and  universally  realized.  The  best  plan  for 
carrying  it  out  would  perhaps  be  to  let  the  "benefit 
district,"  as  heretofore  defined,  pay  one-third  of  the 
cost,  by  instalments,  and  the  township  one-third;  the 
county  to  pay  the  remainder,  and  to  advance  the  amount 
for  the  district,  with  a  rebate  or  discount  to  all  individ- 
uals who  preferred  to  pay  in  cash,  so  that  no  one  would 
be  put  in  debt  against  his  will. 

The  cost  to  the  district  on  this  basis  of  division  would 
be  $272  per  mile.  Taking  the  average  width  benefited, 
as  in  Chapter  VII.,  at  2  miles,  or  1280  acres  for  each 
mile  of  road,  the  total  charge  per  acre  would  be  21  cents, 
or  3  cents  per  acre  annually,  if  spread  over  seven  years. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

WHAT  THE  HAILKOADS  WILL  DO  FOE  THE  HIGHWAYS. 

THE  deep  concern  of  the  railroads  of  the  country  in 
the  condition  of  its  highways  is  universally  recognized ; 
it  was  particularly  well  expressed  at  the  Michigan 
Engineers'  Convention  by  Mr.  E.  W.  Muenscher,  Chief 
Engineer  of  the  M.  &  G.  R.  Railway,  who  said:  "No 
interest  in  the  State  of  Michigan  would  be  more  bene- 
fited by  good  roads  than  the  railroads.  During  a  large 
part  of  the  year  much  of  their  rolling-stock  is  lying  idle 
because  farmers  cannot  bring  their  produce  to  the  station. 
At  other  times  they  cannot  get  cars  enough  to  haul  away 
this  produce,  and  the  sidings,  elevators,  and  warehouses 
are  gorged  to  overflowing;  extra  train  forces  must  be 
employed;  men  in  other  lines  of  traffic  who  need  cars 
are  denied,  and  general  disturbance  of  business,  delay, 
and  loss  follow.  Good  roads  would  distribute  this  busi- 
ness more  uniformly  over  the  year,  to  the  mutual  advan- 
tage of  the  companies  and  their  patrons,  to  say  nothing 
of  the  increase  of  population,  and  production  and  pros- 
perity which  would  follow." 

The    same   speaker   made    these    excellent  practical 

suggestions.     "There  is  one  way  in  which  the  railroads 

81  F 


82  NEW  ROADS  AND   ROAD  LAWS. 

might  greatly  help  on  and  hasten  the  good  work  without 
cost  to  themselves.  If  we  are  ever  to  have  anything 
better  than  dirt  roads  in  Michigan,  we  have  got  to 
depend  almost  entirely  on  gravel.  This  material  is 
found  in  vast  quantities  in  the  drift  which  covers  the 
entire  lower  peninsula,  but  the  deposits  are  local,  and 
there  are  large  sections  in  which  a  stone  as  large  as  a 
hazel  nut  would  be  a  curiosity.  The  cost  of  hauling 
gravel  by  wagon  to  such  localities  is  so  great  as  to 
forbid  its  use.  It  is  here  that  the  railroads  could  do 
good  work.  Most  of  them  pass  through  or  near  large 
gravel  beds.  If,  at  times  when  many  of  their  flat  cars 
are  lying  idle,  they  would  load  them  with  gravel  and 
deliver  it  at  each  station  along  their  lines  at  bare  cost, 
to  be  used  in  building  gravel  roads  each  way  from  those 
stations,  they  would  greatly  diminish  this  most  serious 
obstacle.  Some  of  them  also  OAvn  their  OAVII  steam 
shovels,  which  at  times  could  be  used  in  loading  the 
cars,  Avith  a  further  saving  in  cost;  and  other  roads 
might  Avell  afford  to  purchase  these  excavators  for  this 
purpose." 

The  disposition  of  the  railway  companies  themselves 
to  aid  in  road  improvement  may  be  judged  by  the  folloAv- 
ing  extracts  from  a  portion  of  the  letters  received  by  the 
Road  Inquiry  office  on  this  subject,  from  which,  and  the 
fact  that  while  some  of  the  other  roads  are  noncommittal, 
none  of  them  are  opposed  to  giving  such  aid,  it  would 
seem  that  the  companies  generall}^  Avill  be  ready  to  do 
their  full  share,  wlienever  the  opportunity  offers  to  pro- 
mote road-building  on  any  extended  scale. 


WHAT  THE  RAILROADS    WILL  DO.  83 

BIRMINGHAM  &  ATLANTIC  RY.  —  "  We  shall  be  pleased  to  offer 
special  inducements  in  freight  rates  for  the  betterment  of  our 
public  roads." 

ATCHISON,  TOPEKA  &  SANTA  FE  RY.  —  It  has  been  the  custom  to 
make  the  rates  on  road  materials  very  low,  in  order  to  encour- 
age the  building  of  good  roads  tributary  to  our  line.  Each 
case  is  handled  on  its  merits  as  the  question  arises,  and  rates 
arranged  in  accordance  with  the  circumstances  of  the  case. 

LOUISVILLE  &  NASHVILLE  RY.  —  Have  made  reduced  rates  in  so 
many  cases  to  encourage  road-building  that  it  would  be  im- 
practicable to  recapitulate  them. 

WEST  VA.  CENTRAL  &  PITTSBURG  RY.  —  Is  anxious  to  do  its  ut- 
most to  encourage  the  construction  of  good  public  roads. 

WABASH  RY.  —  Have  hauled  material  free,  the  local  officials  un- 
loading the  same. 

WABASH,  CHESTER  &  WESTERN  RY.  —  Would  make  rates  at  bare 
cost  of  hauling  or  less. 

WILMINGTON,  NEWBERN  &  NORFOLK  RY.  —  Would  give  half  rates. 

ILLINOIS  CENTRAL  RY.  —  Have  reduced  rates  to  encourage  road- 
building  and  advanced  the  payment  of  our  taxes  for  two  years 
to  assist  localities. 

It  has  always  been 


HANNIBAL  &  ST.  JOE  RY. 

ST.  Louis  &  KEOKUK  RY. 

KANSAS  CITY  &  COUNCIL  BLUFFS  RY. 

CHICAGO,  BURLINGTON  &  KANSAS  CITY  RY. 


the  policy  of  these 
roads  to  make 
liberal  conces- 
sions on  material 


to  improve  roads. 
ORANGE  BELT  RY.  —  Has  furnished  material  free  and  reduced 

rates  on  transportation. 
PITTSBURG,  AKRON  &  WESTERN  RY.  —  Would  offer  reduced  rates 

or  free  transportation  to  encourage  good  road  movement. 
SAVANNAH,  AMERICUS  &  MONTGOMERY  RY.  —  Rates  are  very  low. 
ST.  Louis,  ALTON  &  TERRE  HAUTE  RY.  —  Would  be  glad  to  give 

reduced  rates  to  encourage  road  improvements. 
STUTTGART  &  ARKANSAS  RY.  —  Would  make  very  low  rates  if  any 

movement  was  made  toward  road  improvement. 


84  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

f"  It  is  the  policy  of  these  roads  to 

encourage     road-building     by 
TOLEDO  &  OHIO  CENTRAL  RY. 

0  ,r  \       very  low  rates  of  freight  and 

KANAWHA  &  MICHIGAN  RY. 

furnishing    facilities    for  han- 

v      dling  road  material. 
CHICAGO  &  EASTERN  ILLINOIS  RY.  —  Will  do 'all  in  their  power  to 

promote  the  construction  of  good  roads.     Will  make  very  low 

rates. 

ELMIRA,  CORTLAND  &  XORTHERN  RY.  —  Very  low  rates. 
FALL  BROOK  RY.  OF  PENN.  &  X.Y.  —  Would  offer  reduced  rates 

or  free  transportation  if  good  material  was  offered  for  road- 
making. 
INDIANA,  ILLINOIS  &  IOWA  RY.  —  Have  offered  to  haul  stone  free 

to  improve  roads  to  depots,  and  always  ready  to  co-operate  in 

road  improvement. 

JACKSONVILLE,  ST.  AUGUSTINE  &  INDIAN  RIVER  RY.  —  Have  al- 
ways given  one-half  rates  for  road  material.    Will  gladly  assist 

in  any  way  possible. 
LAKE  ERIE  &  WESTERN  RY.  —  Take  pleasure  in  making  the  rates 

as  near  actual  cost  as  possible. 
LOUISVILLE,  NEW  ALBANY  &  CHICAGO  RY.  —  Would  reduce  rates 

one-half  as  an  inducement  to  improve  roads. 

MIDDLETOWN  &  CINCINNATI  RY. —  Will  assist  all  in  their  power. 
NEW  YORK,  ONTARIO  &  WESTERN  RY.  —  Have  made  half  rates  to 

induce  road  improvement  and   frequently  subscribed   money 

for  improving  roads. 
NEW  YORK,  PHILADELPHIA  &  NORFOLK  RY.  —  Always  transport 

at  reduced  rates  to  improve  roads  leading  to  stations. 
CHARLESTON,  SUMTER    &    NOUTIIKRN    RY.  —  Have  donated   and 

delivered  free  the  material  for  building  a  road  at  Su inter,  S.C. 
WILMINGTON,  COLUMBIA  &   AUGUSTA    UY.  —  Have  donated  and 

delivered  free  the  material  used  for  road  improvements. 
UNION  PACIFIC  RY.  —  "  We  are  of  course  interested  in  the  improve- 
-    ment  of  .highways  throughout  the   territory  readied  by  our 

lines,  but  systematic  effort  in  this  direction  is  of  recent  growth. 

No  reduced  rates  or  free  transportation  has  yet  been  asked  for." 


WHAT  THE  RAILROADS    WILL   DO.  85 

CENTRAL  PENN.  &  WESTERN  UY.  —  "We  have  never  been  called 
upon  to  make  special  rates  for  the  transportation  of  road- 
making  materials,  but  would  do  so  to  encourage  road-building." 

PENN.  LINES  WEST  OF  PITTSBURG. —  This  company  is  favorably 
disposed  to  encourage  the  building  of  good  public  roads,  anrl 
will  render  what  aid  it  consistently  can. 

These  various  companies,  located  in  all  parts  of  the 
country,  have  thus  made,  or  offered  to  make,  concessions 
in  aid  of  road  construction  ranging  all  the  way  from 
"reduced  rates  "  or  "half  rates  "  down  to  "bare  cost  of 
hauling  or  less,"  and  even  to  "free  transportation"  and 
"free  materials." 

A  fair  average  of  these  concessions  would  perhaps  be 
the  hauling  at  bare  cost,  and  it  would  seem  that  if  the 
companies  could  be  brought  to  a  united  consideration  of 
the  matter,  and  with  the  prospect  that  their  favorable 
action  would  result  in  a  decisive  movement  for  road 
improvement  throughout  the  country,  they  might  decide 
to  make  the  "  cost  basis  "  universal.  Precisely  what  this 
means  or  would  amount  to  is  of  course  uncertain ;  one 
president  of  a  transcontinental  road  puts  it  at  "one  mill 
per  ton  per  mile  on  straight  and  level  roads,"  but  it 
would  be  safer  to  double  that  rate,  which  would  bring 
it  nearly  up  to  the  present  actual  cost  of  moving  coal. 
At  this  rate  a  yard  of  broken  stone  weighing  2800  pounds 
would  be  carried  100  miles  for  28  cents,  or  for  the  cost 
of  moving  it  one  mile  on  our  average  roads  by  wagon. 
Such  a  rate  of  transport  presupposes,  of  course,  a  very 
large  movement  and  the  best  arrangements 
quick  loading  and  unloading. 


86  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

Several  of  the  railroad  companies  give  the  cost  of 
crushed  stone  put  on  board  their  cars  at  30  to  80  cents 
per  cubic  yard,  and  of  gravel  at  10  to  25  cents  per  cubic 
yard.  Taking  the  former  to  average  50  cents,  and  the 
latter  15  cents,  and  the  rates  of  hauling  as  above,  it 
appears  that  road  material  can  be  delivered  at  any  dis- 
tance up  to  200  miles  at  a  total  cost  of  $1.06  per  cubic 
yard  for  stone,  and  71  cents  for  gravel. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

ROAD   MATERIALS   IN  THE   UNITED   STATES. 

TAKING  for  granted  the  desire  of  the  railroad  com- 
panies to  aid  in  the  general  improvement  of  highways, 
and  their  ultimate  general  consent  to  the  establishment 
of  such  low  rates  for  transport  as  will  permit  the  move- 
ment of  the  small  amounts  of  superior  material  needed 
for  surfacing  roads  to  distances  reaching  200  miles,  and 
of  the  inferior  sort  suitable  for  substructure,  to  a  dis- 
tance of  100  miles,  it  may  safely  be  said  that  no  consid- 
erable part  of  the  United  States  will  lack  a  ready  and 
full  supply  of  road  material. 

Glancing  over  the  country  somewhat  in  detail,  and 
beginning  in  the  far  northeast,  the  State  of  Maine 
could  surface  all  her  roads  with  the  chips  from  her 
granite  quarries,  and  underlay  them  with  the  surplus 
stone  from  her  fields ;  a  large  part  of  the  remainder  of 
New  England  needs  only  to  run  a  portion  of  its  stone 
fences  through  rock-crushers  to  have  an  endless  supply 
of  good  material,  and  wherever  the  local  supply  fails,  a 
very  short  railroad  haul  will  permit  making  a  selection 
from  almost  all  the  good  kinds  of  rock. 

In  New  York  the  entire  canal  region,  not  otherwise 

87 


88  NEW  KOADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

provided  for,  can  be  supplied  with  its  choice  of  trap, 
granite,  limestone,  or  iron  ore,  from  the  Hudson  River, 
carried  at  a  minimum  cost  by  the  fleet  of  grain  boats 
returning  empty  from  the  city,  whenever  there  is  demand 
enough  to  warrant  making  the  necessary  arrangements 
for  the  quick  and  economical  loading  and  unloading  of 
broken  rock ;  the  northern  projection  of  the  State  has  its 
own  granite  hills  and  boulders ;  the  southern  tier  coun- 
ties have  abundant  good  gravel  and  rock,  while  at  the 
point  where  "three  States  meet,"  New  York,  NCAV  Jer- 
sey, and  Pennsylvania,  is  found  a  remarkable  deposit  of 
debris  from  the  Hamilton  sandstone  cliffs,  lying  massed 
against  the  mountain  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Delaware 
for  a  stretch  of  thirty  miles,  already  "broken  to  sizes," 
and  waiting  only  for  the  railroad  and  steam  shovel,  to 
furnish  all  the  good  road  material  that  could  ever  be  used 
in  the  three  States,  at  the  cost  of  loading  and  hauling. 
New  Jersey  has  the  best  of  road  metal  in  the  trap  rock 
of  the  Palisades  and  other  dikes  further  west;  Penn- 
sylvania has  rock  in  abundance,  though  much  of  it  is 
unfit  for  use,  and  in  many  districts  railroad  transporta- 
tion will  be  demanded.  Maryland  and  Virginia  have 
shells  on  the  coast,  and  rock  further  inland.  The  Caro- 
linas  have  clay  enough  to  mend  their  sandy  roads  in  the 
lowlands,  and  good  stone  in  their  upland  regions. 
Georgia  and  Alabama  have  the  same,  and  Florida  has 
its  coquiiia  and  clay.  Mississippi  has  the  Tishomingo 
gravel,  an  excellent  material;  Tennessee,  the  Chatta- 
nooga flints ;  and  Kentucky,  the  famous  Paducah  gravel, 
which  cements  itself  when  laid.  Ohio  has  limestone  in 


HO  AD  MATERIALS  IN    THE   UNITED   STATES.      8  9 

abundance,  and  Indiana  excellent  gravel.  Michigan 
has  abundant  good  gravel  in  the  southern  half  of  the 
State,  with  some  rock  and  boulders  further  north. 
Illinois  has  gravel  and  limestone  in  the  north  end  of 
the  State,  and  quarries  of  quartz  in  the  south;  while 
the  great  drainage  canal,  which  is  intended  to  turn  a 
river  out  of  Lake  Michigan  into  the  Mississippi,  is 
already  throwing  up  a  mountain  range  of  broken  stones 
for  a  length  of  twenty-five  miles,  sufficient,  with  some- 
thing better  for  surfacing  material,  to  macadamize  all 
the  roads  within  a  hundred  miles.  Wisconsin  has  srran- 

o 

ite,  gravel,  and  coarser  glacial  drift.  Minnesota  has 
excellent  quartzite  in  the  southwest  portion  of  the  State, 
also  granite  and  glacial  drift  in  other  parts.  Iowa  has 
some  gravel  and  limestone,  but  neither  is  of  the  best 
quality  except  in  the  northern  portion,  and  in  limited 
areas  elsewhere.  Missouri  has  plenty  of  good  road 
material,  though  it  is  not  well  distributed.  The  cherts 
or  flints  of  Arkansas  are  excellent  for  roads,  and  will 
help  to  supply  the  near-by  sections  of  Louisiana,  Texas, 
Kansas,  and  Oklahoma.  Southern  Louisiana  is  pro- 
vided with  the  Rosetta  gravel;  Texas  has  occasional 
beds  of  good  rock,  gravel,  and  shells ;  Eastern  Kansas, 
some  fair  limestone ;  Nebraska  has  a  very  limited  supply 
of  good  materials,  but  South  Dakota,  on  the  north,  has 
plenty  to  spare  and  of  the  very  best,  the  hard  and  dur- 
able jasper  of  the  Sioux  Valley.  North  Dakota  has  no 
good  rock,  but  some  drift  deposits.  The  mountain 
States  are  well  provided  with  rock,  but,  owing  to  their 
favorable  conditions  of  soil  and  climate,  have  less  need 


90  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

of  it  than  the  prairie  States.  The  Pacific  Slope  is 
abundantly  supplied,  especially  the  States  of  Oregon 
and  Washington.  The  Union  Pacific  R.  R.  Company 
reports  of  this  region,  "that  along  the  Columbia  River, 
from  Portland  to  Wallula,  along  the  Snake  and  Umatilla 
rivers,  and  most  streams  of  any  size,  there  are  high 
basaltic  bluffs,  under  which  there  are  slopes  containing 
vast  quantities  of  broken  basaltic  rock  of  excellent 
quality  for  macadam.  Much  of  this  broken  rock  is 
small  enough  for  use,  and  the  remainder  can  be  readily 
broken  up  into  sizes  required  for  road-making.  In  many 
cases  these  rock  slopes  extend  down  to  our  track,  and 
the  rock  could  be  loaded  on  cars  by  steam  shovel  for  ten 
or  fifteen  cents  per  cubic  yard." 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

THE  BEST  ROAD   FOB   A   FARMING  DISTRICT. 

THERE  is  little  difficulty  in  determining  from  experi- 
ence what  kind  of  road  should  be  built  between  large 
towns,  in  village  streets,  or  in  city  suburbs ;  and  there 
is  no  great  difficulty  in  getting  the  right  kind  of  a  road 
built  in  such  localities ;  but  in  this  country,  so  few  good 
roads  have  been  made  in  purely  agricultural  districts 
that  experience  avails  but  little  in  determining  what 
will  best  serve  the  needs  and  suit  the  means  of  the 
farmer.  In  the  first  place,  the  road  must  not  be  too 
costly,  or  it  will  not  get  built;  in  the  second  place,  it 
must  be  as  good  as  the  best  for  its  purposes,  when  it  is 
built,  for  the  farmer  should  be  able  to  do  his  heavy 
hauling  over  it  when  his  fields  are  too  wet  to  be  worked 
and  his  teams  are  free. 

The  roads  which  have  been  built  by  counties  have  not 
always  satisfied  the  farmers  who  had  to  use  them.  An 
enthusiastic  Western  worker  for  hard  roads  lost  heart 
entirely  and  dropped  out  of  the  work,  upon  visiting  a 
portion  of  Ohio  and  finding  the  country  people  travel- 
ling in  the  ditches  to  save  the  bare  feet  of  their  horses 

from  the  macadam  roads.      He  did  not  stop  to  think  that 

91 


92  NEW  ROADS  AND  HO  AD  LAWS. 

when  wet  weather  came  the  same  people  would  get  their 
horses  shod  and  thankfully  travel  over  the  hardest  road 
they  could  find. 

The  road  that  seems  to  fill  the  farmer's  eye,  having  in 
view  all  these  considerations,  is  a  solid,  well-bedded 
stone  road,  but  so  narrow  as  to  be  only  a  single  track, 
and  having  an  earth  track  on  one  side.  A  visitor  at  the 
Road  League  headquarters  in  the  World's  Fair  left  this 
memorandum:  "Forty  years'  experience  on  roads  has 
given  me  this  idea,  that  there  should  be  a  dirt  road 
next  to  the  gravelled  road,  as  in  the  summer  months  the 
dirt  road  would  be  used  in  preference.  Where  a  dirt 
road  has  been  made  alongside,  the  life  of  a  gravelled 
road  has  been  found  to  be  five  years  longer.  Dirt  roads 
will  keep  the  snow  in  winter  while  no  snow  will  stay 
on  the  pike." 

This  recommendation  was  discussed  by  many  subse- 
quent visitors  and  very  generally  agreed  to,  and  the  speci- 
men of  very  narrow  stone  road  (eight  feet  wide)  with 
the  earth  track  alongside,  exhibited  by  the  League,  was 
usually  pronounced  much  the  best  for  country  roads ;  in 
fact,  some  farmers  declared  they  would  oppose  the  build- 
ing of  stone  roads  unless  a  dirt  track  was  provided.  It 
is  quite  true  that  a  fine,  dry,  smooth  dirt  track  is  the 
perfection  of  roads:  it  is  easy  on  the  horses'  feet  and 
legs,  easy  on  vehicles,  and  free  from  noise  and  jar.  It 
is  equally  true  that  it  holds  snow  better  than  stone  or 
gravel,  and  requires  less  snow  to  make  sleighing;  and, 
where  such  a  track  has  a  stone  road  alongside  to  take 
the  wear  in  wet  weather,  it  will  hardly  suffer  any 


THE  BEST  ROAD  FOR   A   FARMING  DISTRICT.      93 

appreciable  wear.  The  stone  road,  on  the  other  hand, 
wears  by  the  grinding  of  the  wheels  and  the  chipping 
of  the  horses'  calks  in  dry  weather  as  well  as  wet;  if  it 
can  be  saved  this  wear  for  an  average  of  six  months  in 
each  year,  so  much  will  be  clear  gain. 

The  questions  raised  regarding  this  method  of  con- 
struction are,  whether  the  junction  of  the  earth  and 
stone  sections  of  the  road  can  be  kept  even,  so  as  not  to 
have  a  jog  in  passing  from  one  to  the  other,  and  how 
the  meeting  and  passing  of  loaded  teams  is  provided 
for.  But  practical  experience  has  already  been  sufficient 
to  settle  both  these  points.  The  Canandaigua  roads, 
some  of  which  have  been  in  use  two  or  three  years,  show 
no  sign  of  the  division  between  the  earth  and  the  stone, 
and  those  who  use  them  say  that  no  difficulty  is  found 
in  passing  teams;  it  is  only  necessary  for  one  of  the 
wagons  to  run  one  wheel  off  the  macadam ;  and  since  the 
earth  portion  of  the  road  is  never  used  when  wet,  it  is 
always  firm  and  smooth  enough  to  permit  doing  this 
with  ease. 

On  the  whole,  this  appears  to  be  a  case  in  which 
"half  a  loaf"  is  not  only  "better  than  no  bread,"  but 
better  than  a  whole  loaf.  The  purposes  of  a  wide,  hard 
road  are  better  served  by  a  narrow  one,  and  all  the 
objections  to  it  removed,  while  the  cost  is  cut  down  to 
a  moiety,  and  the  charges  for  repair  lessened  in  even 
greater  proportion. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

THE   BEST   CONSTRUCTION    FOR    A   NARROW,    HARD 
ROAD.  —  SOME   FARM   ROADS    IN   ILLINOIS. 

THE  cross-sections  of  the  Canandaigua  roads  shown 
in  Chapter  III.  give  the  simplest  forms  for  narrow,  hard 
roads ;  both  these  forms  are  symmetrical,  having  the  stone 
road  in  the  middle:  one  of  them  has  a  dirt  track  on 
each  side;  the  other  has  none  at  all,  only  a  shoulder  of 
earth  to  keep  the  macadam  in  place.  While  the  users 
of  these  roads  are  so  pleased  with  the  novelty  of  their 
hard  roads  that  they  do  not  seem  to  care  for  the  dirt 
track,  they  will  doubtless  in  future  find  their  advantage 
in  having  at  least  one  such  track  in  all  cases. 

Where  roads  are  already  graded  wide  enough,  it  is 
better  perhaps  to  have  the  three  tracks,  but  tAvo  will 
serve  all  purposes  of  use  quite  as  well.  Two  tracks 
will  require  a  road-bed  about  21  feet  wide.  In  all  wet 
soils  or  springy  places  there  should  be  an  underdrain 
beneath  the  stone  track,  as  shown  in  Fig.  1,  with  side 
outlets  at  places  where  the  necessary  fall  can  be  had. 
The  space  above  the  drain  tile  up  to  within  six  inches  of 
the  surface  can  be  filled  with  any  cheap,  coarse  material, 
first  covering  the  tile  Avith  straAv  to  prevent  the  earth 
Avashing  into  the  joints.  Field  stone,  common  gravel, 

94 


A  NARROW  HARD  ROAD.  95 

sand,  or  the  burnt  clay  ballast  used  on  some  prairie  rail- 
roads, will  serve  equally  well  for  such  filling.  This 
should  be  well  rolled  and  the  road  finished  with  a  layer 
of  the  best  broken  stone  or  gravel  obtainable,  also  well 
rolled,  or,  better  still,  with  two  layers  of  three  inches 
each,  rolled  separate^. 

Where  the  underlying  soil  is  naturally  porous  and  the 
underdrain  is  not  needed,  the  simple  construction  in 
Fig.  2  is  all  that  is  required,  but  the  ground  under  the 
macadam  should  be  well  rolled  and  compacted,  and  all 
soft  places  excavated  and  filled  with  good  material.  If 
the  ground  is  not  porous,  yet  is  not  wet  enough  to 
warrant  the  expense  of  subdrainage,  it  is  well  to  provide 
a  drainage  for  the  macadam  bed  in  the  form  shown  in 
Fig.  3;  for,  without  entering  into  the  controverted 
question  whether  the  macadam  is  properly  a  "roof  "  or  a 
"sieve,"  or  disputing  that  the  former  is  a  "consumma- 
tion devoutly  to  be  wished,"  it  is  wise  to  be  on  the  safe 
side  and  take  away  the  water  if  it  does  get  through;  it 
certainly  is  wise  to  do  this  if  it  can  be  done  at  a  slight  cost. 

All  that  is  required  for  this  is  to  give  a  slight  out- 
ward slope  to  the  bottom  of  the  bed,  roll  the  ground 
thoroughly,  and  provide  an  occasional  drain  through  the 
earth  shoulder  into  the  ditch.  These  side  drains  should 
be  provided  in  all  low  places  in  the  road,  and  at  intervals 
on  all  long  slopes.  They  may  be  of  tile,  or  better  per- 
haps of  wood,  either  tarred  or  charred  to  prevent  decay. 

The  three-track  road,  Fig.  4,  requires  a  road-bed  about 
27  feet  wide;  its  construction  corresponds  to  that  of  the 
two-track. 


THH 


96  NEW  ROADS  AND   ROAD  LAWS. 

Another  form  of  narrow,  hard  road  is  one  used  by 
Judge  Caton  of  Chicago,  on  his  Illinois  farms.1  While 
these  roads  are  made  for  farm  use,  they  would  serve 
equally  well  for  the  lesser  public  roads  of  a  neighbor- 
hood, and  are  worth  a  careful  study  with  that  vieAV. 
The  road  is  made  by  ploughing  two  furrows  16  inches 
wide  and  about  12  inches  deep,  under  what  are  to  be 
the  wheel  tracks,  turning  the  earth  inward,  and  two 
more  for  ditches,  also  turned  inward,  which  results  in 
a  slight  raising  of  the  road-bed,  then  filling  the  inner 
furrows  with  field  stones  or  coarse  gravel  and  finishing 
with  a  light  coating  of  fine  gravel.  Figures  1  and  2, 
respectively,  show  the  road-bed  prepared  and  finished. 
This  plan  gives  a  very  solid  bed  of  material  under  the 
wheels  and  a  sufficiency  elsewhere,  and  if  occasional 
side  outlets  are  provided,  the  furrows  are  quite  efficient 
as  blind  drains.  Occasional  passing-places  would  need 
to  be  provided  on  public  roads,  for  the  meeting  of  loaded 
wagons;  elsewhere,  the  width  shown,  11  feet  between 
ditches,  would  be  sufficient  for  ordinary  light  travel. 
Such  a  road  will  use  the  minimum  of  material  with  the 
maximum  of  efficiency,  and,  having  a  great  depth  of 
stone  just  where  it  is  needed,  should  bear  the  heaviest 
loads  without  injury,  and  require  only  an  occasional 
resurfacing  to  last  indefinitely.  The  amount  of  material 
required  is  less  than  800  cubic  yards  per  mile. 

1  Judge  Caton  has  been  for  sixty  years  a  prominent  figure  in  the 
active  public  work  of  the  Great  West,  not  less  distinguished  in  agri- 
culture than  in  law,  science,  and  business  affairs  ;  and  he  takes  as 
great  pride  in  his  good  roads  as  in  the  greatness  of  his  crops, 


QJ 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

TREATMENT  OF  SANDY  ROADS. 

THE  usual  way  of  mending  sandy  roads  is  to  cover 
the  surface  with  clay,  or  to  mix  clay  with  the  surface 
sand. 

The  Massachusetts  Highway  Commission  says  it  is 
"questionable  whether  this  method  of  treatment  is  in 
the  long  run  economical."  The  Commission  estimates 
the  average  cost  of  doing  this  at  15  cents  per  square 
yard  with  renewal  in  about  five  years,  or  3  cents  a  square 
yard  annually,  and  says,  "  A  good  macadam  road  can  be 
constructed  for  60  cents  a  square  yard;  taking  into  con- 
sideration the  'Ismail  amount  of  travel,  and  that  the  road 
is  estimated  to  last  twenty  years  Avith  hardly  any 
repairs,  the  annual  cost  will  be  3  cents  per  square  yard, 
or  the  same  in  each  case." 

Other  materials  have  been  used  for  the  more  or  less 
temporary  hardening  of  sand  roads,  and  some  of  them 
with  marked  success.  For  this  purpose,  any  strong 
fibrous  substance,  and  especially  one  which  holds  mois- 
ture, such  as  the  refuse  of  sugarcane  or  sorghum,  and 
even  common  straw,  flax,  or  swamp  grass,  will  be  use- 
ful; spent  tan  is  of  some  service,  and  wood  fibre  in  any 

97  G 


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98  NEW  ROADS   AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

form  is  excellent.  The  best  is  the  fibrous  sawdust 
made  in  sawing  shingles  by  those  machines  which  cut 
into  the  side  of  the  block.  This  has  been  used  to  some 
extent  in  portions  of  Wisconsin,  and  its  results  are 
described  in  the  following  letter :  — 

"XECEDAH,  JUXEAU  COUXTY,  WlS. 

"  December  1,  1893. 

"MR.  ROY  STONE,  WASHINGTON,  D.C.,— 

"  DEAR  SIR  :  Yours  of  the  28th  ult.  is  at  hand,  inquir- 
ing in  relation  to  sawdust  roads.  The  officers  of  this 
town,  Necedah,  have  for  several  years  past  used  shingle 
sawdust  on  the  principal  travelled  roads  in  the  town. 
The  land  is  very  sandy. 

"Sawdust  is  first  spread  on  the  road  from  8  to  10 
inches  deep;  this  is  covered  with  sand  to  protect  the 
road  against  fire  lighted  from  pipes  or  cigars  carelessly 
thrown  or  emptied  on  the  road-bed.  The  sand  also 
keeps  the  sawdust  damp.  The  dust  and  sand  will 
shortly  become  hard  and  packed;  the  wheels  of  the 
heaviest  wagons  make  no  impression  upon  it;  it  appears 
to  be  almost  as  solid  as  a  plank  road,  but  much  easier 
for  the  teams. 

"  The  road  prepared  in  the  above  manner  will  remain 
good  for  four  or  five  years  and  will  then  require  renew- 
ing in  some  parts. 

"How  lumber  sawdust  would  answer  I  don't  know. 
"  Very  respectfully, 

"J.  T.  KINGSTON,  P.M." 

The  ordinary  lumber  sawdust  would  of  course  not  be 


TREATMENT  <VF  SANDY  ROADS.  90 

so  good,  but  if  mixed  .with  planer  shavings  it  might 
serve  fairly  well. 

Another  letter  from  an  adjoining  county  confirms  Mr. 
Kingston's  statement,  and  details  some  experience  with 
other  methods,  as  follows :  — 

"FRIENDSHIP,  ADAMS  COUNTY,  Wis. 

"December  21,  1893. 

" ROY  STONE,  ESQ.,  WASHINGTON,  D.C.,- 

"DEAR  SIR:  Your  inquiry  as  to  the  use  of  sawdust 
on  sandy  roads  received;  we  have  sandy  roads  in  this 
county,  but  never  use  any  sawdust  on  them ;  we  use  clay 
and  marsh  muck;  clay  we  think  makes  the  best  road, 
when  put  on  as  it  should  be.  After  the  introduction  of 
wide-tire  wagons  (four-inch  tires),  we  find  little  trouble 
with  sandy  roads.  Very  heavy  loads  are  being  hauled 
over  the  sandiest  roads  with  no  difficulty  on  four-inch- 
tired  wagons,  and  I  consider  the  use  of  wide  tire  on 
wagon  and  buggy  of  far  more  importance  than  any  road 
filling  that  could  be  possibly  done  in  this  county  with 
the  means  we  have  at  our  disposal  for  the  work. 

"  In  Juneau  County  some  very  fine  roads  have  been 
made  with  sawdust;  from  Necedah  to  the  Wisconsin 
River,  a  distance  of  about  three  miles,  it  is  the  boule- 
vard of  that  county,  and  it  is  a  pleasure  to  ride  over 
that  road  in  the  nice  summer  day,  but  they  have  the 
sawdust  handy  by,  and  can  fill  the  road  cheap. 

"  In  this  county,  where  roads  have  been  well  graded 
and  trenches  about  18  inches  wide  and  10  inches  deep 
filled  with  clay,  and  about  2  inches  of  sand  on  top  just 


100  NEW  ROADS  AND   ROAD  LAWS. 

where  the  wheels  run,  it  lias  made  the  best  lasting  roads 
for  all  kinds  of  use,  and  it  is  the  very  cheapest  way  we 
can  make  them. 

"  Various  plans  have  been  proposed,  but  none  so  good 
for  the  money  as  the  above. 

"Buckwheat,  rye,  and  sorghum  straw  have  been  used 
with  good  results. 

"Yours  truly, 

"C.  M.  SIMONS, 

"County  Clerk." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

TREATMENT   OF   DIRT  ROADS. 

WHAT  has  been  said  in  the  foregoing  chapters  clearly 
demonstrates  that  all  the  important  roads  of  the  country 
can  be,  and  probably  will  be,  macadamized  or  well 
gravelled  in  the  not  distant  future,  and  this  expectation 
should  govern  the  present  treatment  of  roads  every- 
where ;  no  labor  or  expense  should  therefore  be  put  upon 
them,  more  than  is  necessary  to  keep  them  usable, 
except  such  as,  while  it  will  secure  their  present  better- 
ment, will  count  also  toward  their  ultimate  improvement 
as  hard  roads. 

For  the  latter  purpose  they  will  require  attention, 
first,  to  their  location;  second,  to  grading;  and,  third, 
to  drainage.  If  a  road  goes  over  a  hill  which  it  might 
go  round,  the  labor  put  upon  it  is  wasted,  and  the 
sooner  it  is  changed,  the  better ;  if  on  the  level  it  is  not 
already  well  rounded  up  and  surface  drained,  it  should 
be,  not  only  for  present  use  but  as  a  preliminary  to 
macadamizing;  and  if  it  is  not  underdrained  in  all  wet 
spots,  that  should  be  the  first  work  done.  Nothing, 
indeed,  will  pay  better  for  present  use  than  putting  in 

good  tile  or  stone  drains,  and  they  will  count  for  all 

101 


102  NEW  ROADS  AND  EOAT>  LAWS. 

they  cost  in  the  future  road-building;  they  should  be 
put  in  wherever  the  subsoil  is  of  a  nature  to  hold  water. 

Hon.  W.  L.  Webber,  the  Chairman  of  the  Michigan 
Highway  Commission,  gives  this  instance  of  the  benefit 
of  drainage  in  Saginaw:  "In  this  city,  a  few  years  ago, 
the  Common  Council  placed  the  drainage  of  streets 
under  the  control  of  the  Board  of  Public  Works,  by 
resolution;  whereupon,  the  Board  of  Public  Works  at 
once  let  contracts  for  several  miles  of  tile  drains,  upon 
which  the  Council  promptly  revoked  the  authority  which 
had  been  given  to  the  Board,  the  tile  drains  being 
regarded  as  an  improvident  use  of  the  public  money; 
but  the  contracts  made  were  carried  out,  and  after  one 
year's  experience  the  Council  was  so  thoroughly  satis- 
fied of  the  advantage  of  the  tile  drainage  in  streets  that, 
since  that  time,  no  street  has  been  ordered  improved 
without  ordering  tile  drains  in." 

Mr.  Webber  further  says:  "Road-beds  should  be 
drained  in  all  places  where  the  subsoil  is  clay  or  packed, 
so  that  the  surface  of  the  road  will  have  no  standing 
water  under  it  to  a  depth  of  at  least  three  feet,  and  there 
is  no  one  word  which  should  be  so  thoroughly  impressed 
into  the  minds  of  all  connected  ^  ith  the  making  of 
roads,  as  the  word  ''drainage, '  thorough  drainage,  deep 
drainage." 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

WIDE   TIRES. 

THE  Massachusetts  Highway  Commission,  after  a 
thorough  study  of  this  subject,  reached  this  conclusion: 
"  From  our  own  observation,  and  from  testimony  in  the 
different  parts  of  the  State,  the  wider  tires  offer  many 
advantages  which  should  commend  their  use  to  teamsters 
in  general.  There  can  be  no  question  but  that  on  the 
ordinary  roads  larger  loads  can  be  hauled  with  less  strain 
upon  the  horses  and  less  outlay  for  repairs  on  the  equip- 
ments." 

The  Commission,  however,  recommended  no  State 
legislation  on  the  subject,  mainly  on  account  of  the  cost 
of  changing  the  50,000  wagons  in  the  State  at  $20  each, 
amounting  to  a  million  dollars,  "a  sum  sufficient  to 
construct  about  200  miles  of  road  of  the  kind  which 
would  not  be  likely  to  suffer  from  any  width  of  tires 
used  upon  them,"  and  they  are  of  the  opinion  that  as 
our  roads  are  brought  into  a  proper  state  the  tire  ques- 
tion will  become  unimportant.  Apparently  the  legisla- 
ture thought  differently;  for  the  Highway  Manual  of 
the  State  of  New  York,  issued  subsequently,  says: 

"  Massachusetts  has  recently  passed  a  law  making  man- 

103 


104  NEW  ROADS  AND   KG  AD  LAWK. 

datory  the  use  of  four-inch  tire  upon  wagons  for  heavy 
traffic."  The  same  authority  further  says :  "In  Penn- 
sylvania, team  wagons  are  required  by  law  to  have  tire 
at  least  four  inches  in  width,  and  the  rear  axles  are 
eight  inches  longer  than  the  forward,  so  that  the  wheels 
can  never  track  each  other.  In  England,  the  roads  are 
kept  free  from  ruts  by  the  use  of  wagons  with  axles  of 
indiscriminate  length,  so  that  the  wheels  of  one  wagon 
will  not  track  those  of  another,  and  the  rear  wheels  are 
universally  wider  apart  than  the  fore  wheels.  The  New 
York  Legislature  of  1893  passed  a  law  providing  for  a 
rebate  of  road  tax  equal  to  one-half  the  full  amount,  not 
exceeding  four  days,  for  the  use  of  three-inch  tires  upon 
wagons  drawn  by  two  or  more  horses.  This  was  a  move 
in  the  right  direction,  but  the  width  of  tire  should  have 
been  four  instead  of  three  inches.  The  great  injury 
done  by  narrow-tired  wagons  to  our  roads,  however 
expensively  and  durably  constructed,  would  have  war- 
ranted our  legislature  in  compelling  the  use  of  wide 
tires  upon  all  wagons  designed  to  carry  heavy  loads. 
The  wide-tired  wheels,  with  the  axles  of  unequal  length 
so  that  the  wheels  will  not  track,  under  heavy  loads,  act 
as  rollers  and  keep  the  road  hard  and  well  packed  and 
always  free  from  grooves  and  ruts." 

The  preponderance  of  testimony  appears  to  be  strongly 
in  favor  of  wide  tires  and  unequal  axles,  not  only  as 
economical  of  power  in  hauling,  but  as  tending  to 
improve  the  roadway  and  maintain  its  improvement. 

The  tendency,  as  roads  are  improved,  to  increase  the 
loads  moved  over  them  up  to  the  full  hauling  capacity 


WIDE  TIEES.  105 

of  the  teams  used,  puts  the  new  roads  to  a  severe  test, 
and  often  before  they  are  fully  consolidated.  On  a  new 
stone  road  in  Camden  County,  N.J.,  the  writer  lately 
saw  loads  of  7500  pounds  of  manure,  or  an  equal  weight 
of  farm  produce,  on  wagons  weighing  themselves  over 
a  ton  and  having  the  ordinary  narrow  tires.  These 
wagons  were  cutting  ruts  in  the  road  of  one  to  two 
inches'  depth,  and  constant  care  was  required  to  prevent 
worse  injury. 

This  road  had  been  built  by  contract,  with  a  per- 
centage reserved,  and  the  contractors  were  still  caring 
for  it,  filling  the  ruts  and  rolling  it,  and  its  condition 
showed  the  wisdom  of  this  arrangement;  for  if  it  had 
been  accepted  and  paid  for  when  it  was  apparently  fin- 
ished, and  left  without  special  care  through  this  open 
winter,  it  would  have  been  sadly  cut  to  pieces  before 
spring ;  whereas,  if  the  rutting  could  have  been  avoided 
by  the  use  of  wide  tires  and  unequal  axles,  the  travel 
would  have  benefited  the  road.  It  was  claimed,  how- 
ever, by  those  who  had  watched  the  construction  of  this 
road,  that  the  rutting  was  due  to  insufficient  rolling  of 
the  lower  courses  of  stone,  and  that  this  was  proved  by 
the  fact  that  wherever  the  travel  had  been  forced  on 
to  the  road  during  construction  and  the  material  thor- 
oughly compacted  thereby,  as  it  was  laid,  no  rutting  had 
occurred.  The  reason  given  for  using  narrow  tires  in 
that  vicinity  is  that  the  wagons  must  track  with  the 
horse  cars,  in  Camden  and  Philadelphia,  or  be  at  a 
serious  disadvantage. 

Very   careful    experiments   with  wagons  of  varying 


106  NEW  EOADS  AND   ROAD  LAWS. 

width  of  tires  have  been  made  by  the  Studebaker 
Brothers,  and  the  results  are  detailed  in  the  Good  Roads 
Magazine  for  March,  1893.  These  experiments  prove 
that  across  fields  a  three-inch  tire  has  an  advantage  over 
a  one  and  a  half  inch,  of  one-eighth  in  starting  a  load, 
and  one-seventh  in  pulling  it  after  starting.  This 
advantage,  together  with  the  lessened  liability  to  cut 
through  and  kill  the  grass  of  newly  seeded  fields,  must 
gradually  lead  to  the  introduction  of  wide  tires  for  farm 
wagons,  and  when  used  on  farms  they  will  be  used  on 
roads.  The  tests  also  showed  an  advantage  in  starting 
a  load  on  a  hard  road,  of  one-sixth  in  favor  of  the  three- 
inch  tire  over  the  one  and  a  half  inch,  and  a  small 
advantage  in  favor  of  a  four-inch  over  a  one  and  a  half 
inch  in  starting  and  hauling  over  sandy  and  gravelly 
roads,  but  a  slight  disadvantage  in  the  wide  tires  on 
muddy  roads  and  block  pavement. 

The  most  thorough  practical  test,  however,  of  the 
merits  of  wide  tires  with  varying  gauges,  considered  as 
road  makers  and  menders  as  well  as  load-carriers,  is  in 
the  experience  of  the  Solvay  Process  Company,  near 
Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  given  in  Good  Roads  for  January,  1894. 
This  company  was  persuaded  by  Mr.  William  A.  Sweet, 
President  of  the  New  York  State  Road  Improvement 
Association,  to  try  the  use  of  wide  tires  and  un- 
equal axles  in  hauling  stone  from  the  quarry  to  their 
works,  a  distance  of  four  and  a  half  miles,  over  what  had 
been  a  very  bad  clay  road.  They  improved  the  road  by 
putting  on  "rough  quarry  refuse,  and  for  a  part  of  the 
distance  field  stones  (from  stone  Avails)  were  used,  all 


WIDE   TIRES.  107 

hand  broken  to  two-inch  and  three-inch  sizes.  These 
were  covered  with  fine  unsifted  quarry  chips,  and  a 
crown  was  given  to  the  roadway  with  an  elevation  of 
about  six  inches  in  a  width  of  16  feet." 

Three  three-horse  wagons  were  built,  with  four  and 
six  inch  tires  of  varying  gauges,  and  the  rear  wheels 
tracking  outside  of  the  front  ones.  The  result  is  told 
by  Mr.  Power,  one  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  of 
Onondaga  County :  "  The  constant  use  of  three  of  these 
wagons  during  the  last  three  years  has  produced  a 
smooth,  compact,  and  regular  surface  between  the  quarry 
and  our  works,  and  the  substantial  crowning  of  the  road 
has  kept  the  surface  well  drained,  and,  therefore,  dry 
and  free  from  ruts.  These  wide  tires  and  varying 
gauges  excited  a  good  deal  of  attention  at  the  outset, 
and  conflicting  opinions  were  expressed  regarding  their 
utility.  The  result  is  eminently  in  their  favor,  and  the 
general  sentiment  has  grown  constantly  in  favor  of  the 
use  of  these  wagons  for  heavy  loads.  We  haul  loads 
continually,  varying  in  weight  from  8000  to  16,000 
pounds,  with  no  perceptible  wear,  weakness,  or  break- 
down, either  to  the  wagons  or  to  the  roads.  The  carts 
used  at  our  works  are  varied  in  gauge,  and  all  have 
given  excellent  satisfaction  in  keeping  the  roadway 
smooth.  When  these  wagons  were  first  put  into  use, 
the  road  was  rough  and  rutty  and  the  work  of  hauling 
was  severe  on  the  horses,  but  soon  the  broad  tires  began 
to  roll  and  pack  the  road  surface,  and  it  is  now  difficult 
to  exaggerate  the  great  benefit  these  tires  have  produced 
in  keeping  the  road  smooth  and  hard,  and  the  amount  of 


108  NEW  ROADS  AND   ROAD  LAWS. 

labor  they  have  saved  in  the  work  of  hauling  and 
repairs." 

Mr.  Power  further  says:  "These  Avagons  were  all 
'poled  '  for  three  horses,  and  the  use  of  three  horses 
tended  to  combine  with  the  wide  tires  and  varying 
gauges  of  front  and  rear  axles  to  smooth  down  even  the 
slightest  ruts  caused  by  wagons  of  narrow  tires  and 
ordinary  gauge,  of  which  there  were  and  are  very  many 
in  use  on  this  road." 

Confirmation  of  the  foregoing  views  can  be  had  from 
many  quarters  and  on  good  authority.  The  Committee 
on  Roads,  of  the  Virginia  Association  of  Engineers, 
says :  "  In  relation  to  this  subject,  we  would  also  suggest 
that  legislative  steps  be  taken  in  regard  to  the  width  of 
wagon  tire.  'Brond  tires  are  road-makers,  while  narrow 
tires  are  simply  road-destroyers.'  The  State  of  Michi- 
gan set  the  example  of  a  new  era  in  road-making  by 
enacting  a  law  regulating  the  width  of  wagon  tires. 
As  an  inducement,  the  law  provides  for  refunding  one- 
half  of  the  annual  road  tax  to  every  farmer  who  supplies 
his  wagon  with  broad  tires.  We  earnestly  urge  the 
Association  to  bring  these  matters  before  the  next 
Legislature." 


WI7EE 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

THE  REPORT   OF   THE   OHIO   ROAD   COMMISSION. 

IF  the  late  report  of  the  Ohio  Commission  is,  as  some 
friends  of  good  roads  think  it,  a  distinctly  retrograde 
step  in  the  march  of  road  improvement,  it  is  the  only 
one  taken  by  any  State  authority. 

The  Commission  recommends  to  the  Legislature  to 
pass  no  new  road  laws,  but  to  adopt  a  plan  of  masterly 
inactivity  in  the  matter,  mainly  upon  the  ground  that 
the  extension  of  electric  railways  will  greatly  restrict 
the  use  of  wagon  roads  and  curtail  the  extent  to  which 
they  need  be  built. 

The  Engineering  News  of  'New  York  takes  the  opposite 
view  of  this  subject,  saying:  "  We  do  believe,  however, 
that,  especially  in  the  neighborhood  of  larg-e  towns  and 
cities,  the  present' rapid  extension  of  suburban  electric 
railways  will  in  itself  hasten  the  general  improvement 
of  all  roads  affected  by  them.  These  suburban  lines, 
by  connecting  chains  of  villages  and  towns  and  increas- 
ing the  facilities  for  travel,  tend  to  enhance  the  value 
of  country  property  as  a  place  of  residence,  and  as  a 
consequence  create  a  demand  for  better  roads  and  make 

it  easier  to  meet  the  cost  of  improvement." 

109 


110  NEW  ROADS  AND  EOAD  LAWS. 

This  Commission,  appointed  by  Governor  McKinley 
under  joint  resolution  of  the  Senate  and  House,  was 
directed  by  the  Legislature  to  "  thoroughly  investigate 
the  whole  subject  of  road  construction  and  the  cost  of 
transportation  over  the  various  kinds  of  roads,  including 
those  operated  by  steam  power  and  electric  power  as 
well  as  those  operated  by  horse  power;  and  to  report  to 
the  Governor  what  the  average  cost  per  ton  per  mile 
now  is  by  horse  power,  and  what  the  approximate  cost 
would  be  if  artificial  power  should  be  substituted  for 
horse  power;  and  especially  whether  it  is  possible  and 
advisable  to  construct  country  roads  so  that  both  cars 
and  wagons  can  pass  over  the  same  road,  propelled  by 
either  horse  power  or  artificial  power ;  also,  the  estimated 
cost  of  such  combination  roads  as  compared  with  the 
cost  of  roads  established  for  horse  power  only,  together 
with  whatever  recommendation  they  have  to  make  as  to 
the  road  laws  of  Ohio,  or  as  to  the  enactment  of  any 
new  laws  by  the  Legislature  of  the  State." 

The  Commission  estimates  the  common  roads  of  the 
State  at  80,000  miles,  and  the  cost  of  "suitable  im- 
provement "  at  $5000  per  mile,  an  amount  which  the 
Engineering  Neivs  says  is  "altogether  too  high,"  and 
which  is  in  fact  four  or  five  times  as  high  as  the  cost  of 
some  excellent  hard  roads  in  various  parts  of  the  United 
States.  Moreover,  10,000  miles  of  these  roads  are 
already  improved,  and  probably  30,000  more  are  not  of 
such  importance  as  to  demand  much  improvement.  So 
that  150,000,000  judiciously  expended  ought  to  give 
the  State  a  good  system  of  highways. 


THE  REPORT  OF  THE  OHIO  ROAD   COMMISSION.     Ill 

The  Commission  says  that  in  some  parts  of  the  State 
the  people  do  not  "appreciate  nor  desire  good  roads." 
They  say :  "  There  are,  undoubtedly,  some  places  in  tlm 
State  where  material  for  road-making  is  sufficiently 
abundant  and  cheap,  but  where  the  character  of  the 
population  is  such  that  they  prefer  the  discomforts  and 
loss  occasioned  by  defective  highways  to  the  trouble  and 
expense  required  to  improve  the  roads.  It  is  manifest 
that  no  legislation  can  or  should  alter  such  a  state  of 
affairs.  It  is  not  the  province  of  legislation  to  change 
human  nature,  and  where  a  community  deliberately 
prefers  to  adopt  a  course  of  action  that  is  opposed  to  its 
best  interests,  it  should  be  left  to  its  own  devices." 

This  is  a  novel  exposition  of  the  relations  of  a  State 
to  its  citizens.  It  is  generally  considered  that  to  pro- 
mote education  is  one  of  the  primary  duties  of  the  State, 
and  if  any  part  of  its  people  are  so  benighted  as  this,  on 
a  subject  of  such  importance  to  their  welfare,  it  would 
seem  that  duty,  self-interest,  and  State  pride  would  all 
conspire  to  urge  the  better-informed  sections  of  the 
State  to  work  a  speedy  reformation  among  them ;  and, 
since  no  lessons  are  so  useful  as  object  lessons,  the  most 
effective  and  persuasive  teaching  would  be  to  help  build 
some  bits  of  good  road  in  each  of  these  districts.  There 
cannot  be  a  county  in  the  State  in  which  some  neigh- 
borhood would  not  jump  at  the  chance  to  have  its 
market  road  improved  on  the  New  Jersey  plan.  That 
State,  with  an  appropriation  of  only  $20,000  for  the  first 
year,  and  only  $75,000  subsequently,  lias  done  such  a 
work  of  education  in  three  years  as  will  speedily  result 


112  NEW  ROADS  AND  EOAD  LAWS. 

in  lifting  its  rural  population  many  degrees  in  the  scale 
of  comfort  and  prosperity. 

The  effect  of  such  lessons  is  not  less  marked  in  some 
parts  of  the  State  of  Ohio.  Mr.  Samuel  Huston,  County 
Surveyor,  of  Steubenville,  said  at  the  Road  League  office 
in  Chicago :  "  We  have  a  system  of  county  roads,  eighty- 
five  miles  in  one  county  (Jefferson);  they  are  built 
under  State  road  law,  making  it  optional  for  county 
or  township.  About  twenty  townships  came  in  under 
this  provision,  and  only  two  were  left  out;  these  two 
were  glad  to  come  in  afterwards,  at  an  extra  cost  for  the 
delay,  as  they  saw  the  advantage  of  good  roads.  We 
have  a  single-track  road,  and  a  dirt  road  on  the  side,  but 
where  hills  are  steep,  we  make  full-width  roads.  County 
bonds  are  issued,  at  6  per  cent,  to  pay  for  the  roads. 
Public  sentiment  is  entirely  in  favor  of  good  roads 
going  on.  Before  we  made  our  roads  an  object  lesson, 
nearly  every  farmer  was  against  the  good-roads  move- 
ment." 

The  Commission  says:  "There  are  counties  in  Ohio 
that  have  improved  their  roads  at  their  own  expense  in 
the  past;  they  have  borne  the  burden  willingly  and  are 
now  enjoying  the  benefits.  To  tax  these  counties  again 
for  the  purpose  of  building  roads  in  localities  where  the 
people,  through  lack  of  enterprise  or  inability,  have 
failed  to  secure  good  highways,  is  unjust  and  is  dis- 
couraging to  enterprise.  Why  should  Logan  County 
or  Hardin  County  or  Union  County,  in  which  turnpikes 
have  been  built  by  local  assessment,  be  required  to 
contribute  money  for  the  purpose  of  building  roads  in 


THE  REPORT  OF  THE  OHIO  ROAD    COMMISSION.      113 

Geauga    County,  where   there  is  not  a  single  mile  of 
turnpike  ?  " 

To  this  it  might  be  answered,  that  an  enlightened 
self-interest  would  commend  to  the  wealthy  counties 
the  policy  of  stimulating  improvement  in  the  poorer 
ones,  to  enable  the  latter  to  bear  in  time  their  proper 
share  of  the  burdens  of  the  State ;  and,  again,  there  are 
many  ties  of  blood,  friendship,  and  business  which  cross 
county  lines,  and  the  people  who  confine  their  driving 
to  their  own  county  limits  are  few  indeed.  The  Com- 
mission has  done  good  service  in  collecting  information 
regarding  the  cost  of  various  kinds  of  transportation, 
and  though  it  does  not  propose  any  further  action  or 
investigation,  but  confines  itself  to  negative  recommen- 
dations, it  may  be  hoped  that  its  report  will  stimulate 
private  experiment  in  the  direction  of  such  "  combination 
roads,"  and  ultimately  bring  in  a  new  era  of  rural  rapid 
transit;  meanwhile,  it  seems  a  pity  to  raise  up  obstacles 
to  such  immediate  and  substantial  improvement  of  the 
ordinary  highways  as  is  progressing  elsewhere  in  the 
United  States,  and  thus  to  bring  a  great  State  to  a 
standstill  in  the  path  of  progress. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

FARMERS   AND   THE  ROADS. 

IT  has  been  the  fashion  among  some  road-reformers  to 
throw  upon  the  patient  and  long-suffering  farmer  all  the 
blame  for  the  present  evil  condition  of  the  highways; 
they  enlarge  upon  his  ignorance  and  his  blindness  to  his 
own  best  interests,  and  fervently  exhort  him  to  open  his 
eyes  and  mend  his  ways.  He  is  supposed  not  to  know 
a  good  road  when  he  sees  it,  nor  what  he  loses  by  a  bad 
one,  and  to  be  firmly  set  against  any  change.  This 
view  is  so  far  from  being  correct  that  it  is  not  surprising 
if  farmers  as  a  class  are  irritated  by  it,  nor  that  serious 
friction  often  occurs  in  public  meetings  on  this  subject. 
It  may  be  true  that  a  few  old  mossbacks  cling  to  the 
ruts  and  stones  that  were  "good  enough  roads  for  their 
fathers,"  and  that  farmers  of  more  intelligence  have  at 
times  protested  against  hasty  legislation  which  might 
inflict  undue  burdens  upon  them ;  but  no  class  of  men 
are  more  awake  to-day  to  the  need  of  road  improvement, 
or  more  anxious  to  find  practical  means  for  its  accom- 
plishment, than  the  thinking  farmers  of  the  country, 
whether  within  or  without  the  f.irmers'  organizations. 

In  fact,  the  practical  work  done  in  this  direction,  so  far, 

114 


FAEME11S   AND   THE  BO  ADS.  115 

both  in  road  construction  and  in  legislation  therefor,  lias 
been  mainly  wrought  through  their  efforts  and  good 
judgment.  The  development  of  the  New  Jersey  law, 
which  has  been  so  successful  as  to  be  considered  a  model 
for  other  States,  has  been  the  work  of  the  active  mem- 
bers of  the  State  Agricultural  Society,  and  the  law  has 
been  administered  by  the  President  of  that  society, 
himself  a  practical  farmer.  The  good  roads  in  Canan- 
daigua,  N.Y.,  and  many  of  those  in  Connecticut  and 
other  States  were  planned  and  built  wholly  by  farmers, 
while  the  farmers'  organizations  have  taken  strong 
ground  in  favor  of  the  general  reform.  The  National 
Grange  assembled  at  Concord,  N.H.,  in  1892,  passed 
unanimously  resolutions  supporting  the  National  League 
for  Good  Roads,  and  the  State  Grange  of  New  York  has 
this  year  taken  an  advanced  position  in  the  matter,  and 
charged  its  permanent  Committee  on  Legislation  to  fol- 
low up  the  work.  There  is  much  yet,  however,  for  the 
organized  farmers  to  do  in  this  direction. 

Every  Farmers'  Club  and  every  local  Grange  or 
Alliance  might  have  its  Committee  on  Roads,  with  a 
secretary  active  in  gathering  information,  and  especially 
in  corresponding  with  those  branches  of  their  organiza- 
tions which  are  located  where  road  improvement  is  going 
on  and  the  problem  is  being  solved  by  actual  experi- 
ment. With  the  knowledge  thus  acquired,  the  organi- 
zations would  soon  be  in  position  to  criticise  or  dictate 
legislation,  to  exercise  wisely  the  full  power  due  to 
their  vast  numbers,  and  to  shape  and  direct  the  move- 
ment instead  of  awaiting  with  apprehension  its  results 


116  NEW  ROADS  AND  EOAJ)  LAWS. 

in  other  hands.  When  all  the  farmers  in  the  country 
know  what  a  few  know  now,  of  the  benefits  of  good 
roads,  and  the  ease  of  getting  them,  we  shall  be  far  on 
the  way  to  having  them  everywhere.  Another  thing 
farmers  can  do  to  their  great  advantage  is  to  accept  and 
welcome  the  help  that  is  ready  to  be  given  them  by 
others  concerned  in  the  betterment  of  highways.  Many 
Boards  of  Trade  and  commercial  organizations  have 
taken  up  the  question  with  earnestness,  but  have  been 
repelled  and  discouraged  by  the  attitude  of  those  most 
directly  interested  in  its  solution.  The  wheelmen  have 
attacked  the  problem  eagerly,  in  the  hope  of  helping  on 
the  millennium  of  good  roads,  but  have  been  charged 
with  selfishly  aiming  to  oppress  the  farmers  that  they 
may  enjoy  the  results.  Farmers  must  remember  that 
to  the  merchants  and  the  wheelmen  is  due  the  willing- 
ness of  the  towns  and  cities  to  aid  largely  in  the  build- 
ing of  country  roads,  and  the  fact  that,  in  many  parts  of 
the  country,  city  people  lead  this  movement  which 
the  country  people  are  slow  even  to  follow.  If  the 
time  comes  when  all  the  friends  of  good  roads  can  work 
together  in  harmony,  they  can  readily  command  the  help 
of  those  who  are  now  indifferent,  and  will  then  make 
short  work  of  the  undertaking;  but  the  farmers,  being 
the  most  powerful  in  numbers  and  most  deeply  con- 
cerned in  interest,  must  take  the  leading  part  in  organiz- 
ing and  harmonizing  the  forces  enlisted  in  this  great 
crusade. 

The  city  man  wants  good  roads,  for  the  better  supply 
of  country  products  and  the  improvement  of  trade,  and 


:s^ 

I7BR3ITT 


FARMERS  AND   THE  ROADS.  117 

for  the  occasional  pleasure  of  driving  or  riding  over 
them,  but  they  are  not  essential  to  his  well-being.  To 
the  farmer  and  his  family  they  are  a  vital  concern  of 
daily  life,  and  fortune  and  happiness  wait  upon  their 
coming.  Farmers  in  America  have  an  especial  reason 
for  taking  up  this  crusade.  In  marketing  their  prod- 
ucts they  are  forced  every  year  into  closer  and  more 
disastrous  competition  with  the  cheap  labor  of  other 
countries, —  and  countries  whose  despotic  governments 
can  and  do  compel  the  building  of  good  roads  to  cheapen 
the  movement'  of  products.  In  this  country  such  com- 
pulsion is  impossible,  and  national  aid  even  is  hardly 
thought  acceptable.  The  farmers  are  left  to  their  own 
devices  and  must  work  out  their  own  salvation.  They 
pay  a  mud  tax,  estimated  on  good  authority  at  $280,- 
000,000  a  year,  and  a  road  tax,  almost  as  useless,  of 
forty  or  fifty  millions  more.  Is  it  surprising  that  they 
are  not  happy  and  prosperous  ? 


USI7BKS1TYI 


CHAPTER   XXL 

THE  WHEELMEN'S  CAMPAIGN  FOR  ROADS. 

IN  the  battle  for  good  roads,  it  would  be  folly,  as  well 
as  injustice,  not  to  recognize  the  great  services  of  the 
army  of  wheelmen  who  have  sprung  to  the  front  within 
a  few  years,  and  who  have  often  maintained  the  fight 
alone,  through  many  discouragements,  though  their 
interest  in  it  seems  trifling  and  casual  in  comparison 
with  that  of  the  mass  of  road-users. 

When  we  consider,  however,  that,  for  his  vehicle,  the 
bicyclist  is  both  driver  and  horse,  and  that  on  bad  roads 
he  suffers  in  person  what  we  have  always  inflicted  on 
poor  dumb  brutes,  and  is  entitled,  therefore,  to  speak 
and  fight  for  them  as  well  as  for  himself,  it  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at  that  he  is  found  in  the  vanguard,  nor  is  it 

o 

surprising  that  his  zeal  sometimes  outruns  his  discre- 
tion, and  impatience  prevents  his  keeping  step  with  the 
slow  march  of  his  allies. 

If  the  wheelmen  are  the  light  troops  of  the  army,  they 
nevertheless  carry  heavy  guns  when  it  comes  to  legisla- 
tion, and  their  audacity  stops  at  nothing.  When  the 
writer  was  urging  the  passage  of  a  National  Highway 

Commission   Bill,  in   1892,  the  Wheelmen's    League. 

118 


THE   WHEELMEN^S   CAMPAIGN   FOR  ROADS.      119 

then  in  session  at  Washington,  took  up  the  affair,  and 
Avere  not  content  with  personal  work  on  the  spot,  but 
stirred  up  their  home  people,  and  instantly  telegrams  to 
members  of  Congress  poured  in  from  all  parts  of  the 
country  with  such  a  rush  as  to  startle  both  houses  out 
of  any  indifference  to  the  matter,  and  the  bill  passed 
one  house  immediately,  and  only  missed  it  through  want 
of  time  in  the  other. 

The  wheelmen  have  kept  alive  the  agitation  of  this 
subject  when,  one  after  another,  associations  formed  for 
the  purpose  among  other  classes  of  road-users,  have 
fallen  stillborn.  Their  literature  has  flooded  the  coun- 
try, and  their  road  committees  have  worked  without  ceas- 
ing. The  Good  Roads  Magazine,  which  they  support, 
has  drawn  upon  the  best  talent  of  the  country  for  its 
articles,  and  has  reached  a  circulation  approaching  a 
hundred  thousand  copies. 

Whenever  the  farmers  shall  be  ready  in  any  State  to 
propose  legislation  for  road  improvement,  the  wheelmen 
will  take  care  that  the  city  members  of  the  Legislature 
are  not  indifferent,  and  whenever  the  cities  are  called 
upon  to  aid  in  country  road-building,  they  will  move 
heaven  and  earth  to  have  that  call  met.  In  short,  they 
will  render  any  service  to  the  cause  of  good  roads  that 
a  quick  intelligence  can  discover  and  an  earnest  zeal 
can  execute,  and  their  aid  will  be  welcomed  by  every 
citizen  who  takes  that  cause  deeply  to  heart. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

THE   ATTITUDE    OF    COMMERCIAL    ORGANIZATIONS. 

WHILE  only  a  few  of  the  many  commercial  bodies  in 
the  country  have  taken  definite  action  in'  favor  of 
improving  the  highways,  those  few  are  among  the  most 
important,  and  there  is  no  question  of  the  hearty  con- 
currence of  all  the  others,  whenever  they  see  the  occa- 
sion for  their  action. 

The  National  Board  of  Trade  and  Transportation  in 
1892  resolved  that  "we  recognize  the  exceeding  poverty 
of  the  country,  even  amid  its  riches,  in  the  universally 
deplorable  condition  of  its  public  highways,  and  favor  a 
system  which  will  provide  for  their  immediate  improve- 
ment, under  control  of  the  State  governments." 

The  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  New  York  adopted 
strong  resolutions  of  the  same  character,  and  appointed 
the  Hon.  Chauncey  M.  Depew  and  General  Horace 
Porter  to  represent  the  Chamber  at  the  Chicago  Conven- 
tion for  the  organization  of  a  National  League  for  road 
improvement.  Later,  the  Chamber  heartily  indorsed 
the  purposes  of  the  League,  and  Mr.  Camp,  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Internal  Trade  and  Improvement,  expressed 
the  general  view  of  the  members  in  saying  that  "the 

120 


THE  ATTITUDE  OF  COMMERCIAL  ORGANIZATIONS.    121 

movement  for  good  roads  deeply  concerns  every  com- 
mercial and  financial  interest  in  the  land.  We  are 
handicapped  in  all  the  markets  of  the  world  by  an 
enormous  waste  of  labor  in  the  primary  transportation 
of  our  products  and  manufactures,  while  our  home 
markets  are  restricted  by  difficulties  in  rural  distribu- 
tion which  not  unfrequently  block  all  the  channels  of 
transportation,  trade,  and  finance.  This  state  of  things 
has  heretofore  been  thought  irremediable,  under  our 
system  of  government;  but  good  roads  are  not  incom- 
patible with  self-government  in  France  and  Switzer- 
land, and  the  National  League  for  Good  Roads  believes 
that  education  and  organization  will  make  them  possible 
here." 

The  League  itself  summarized  the  varied  interests 
involved  and  the  manner  of  their  concern,  in  this  lan- 
guage: "No  person  or  association  in  the  land  can  afford 
to  neglect  a  movement  so  vital  as  this  to  the  country's 
progress  and  prosperity;  few,  indeed,  have  not,  in  addi- 
tion to  their  concern  in  the  general  welfare,  some  special 
interest,  direct  or  indirect,  in  the  condition  of  the 
highways. 

"  Apart  from  the  acknowledged  interest  in  good  roads 
of  the  builders  of  wagons,  carriages,  bicycles,  traction 
and  farm  engines  and  implements,  of  coaching  and 
country  clubs,  coach  and  carriage  owners,  horse-breeders, 
etc.,  and  of  all  merchants  and  manufacturers,  in  respect 
to  the  cheap  and  speedy  distribution  of  goods  and  better 
collection  of  raw  materials  and  money  returns,  there  are 
many  great  semi-public  institutions  whose  interests  are 


122  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

deeply  involved:  railroads,  in  the  equal  distribution  of 
their  traffic  through  the  seasons,  securing  constant 
employment  of  their  force  and  equipment;  telegraph 
and  telephone  companies,  in  the  extension  of  country 
service ;  neAVSpapers,  in  the  expansion  of  their  circula- 
tion through  free  delivery  that  will  follow  good  roads; 
banks  and  bankers,  in  the  quicker  movement  of  capital 
in  country  business ;  fire  insurance  companies,  in  the 
ability  to  reach  country  fires  with  town  apparatus ;  life 
insurance  companies,  in  the  prompt  relief  of  the  sick  or 
injured,  and  in  a  general  amelioration  of  physical  and 
social  conditions  tending  to  prolong  life ;  labor  organ- 
izations, in  the  non-competitive  employment  of  convicts ; 
and  all  philanthropic  associations,  in  the  provision  of 
employment  sufficient  to  abolish  Avant  and  starvation, 
for  a  generation,  diminish  crime  and  relieve  the  conges- 
tion in  cities,  and  in  the  cheapening  of  food  products  to 
all  consumers,  and  a  general  promotion  of  the  happiness 
and  Avelfare  of  the  Avhole  people/' 

Nothing  need  be  added  to  this  but  for  the  active 
commercial  friends  of  road  improvement  to  urge  upon 
the  trade  organizations  of  which  they  are  members  the 
expediency  of  taking  prompt  action  in  the  matter,  and 
of  appointing  permanent  committees  on  the  subject. 
The  establishment  of  the  Government  Bureau  Avill 
facilitate  the  Avork  of  all  such  committees  in  many  Avays, 
and  make  the  collection  of  information  easy.  And 
Avhen  the  1300  commercial  bodies  in  the  United  States 
are  prepared  to  throAV  their  united  Aveight  in  favor  of 
definite  measures  of  road  reform,  the  battle  Avill  already 
be  half  won. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

EOAD-BUILDING   AND   THE   REVIVAL   OF   BUSINESS. 

THE  present  depression  in  business  of  all  kinds, 
throughout  the  country,  so  far  from  stopping  the  agita- 
tion for  good  roads,  or  hindering  the  work  of  their 
construction,  furnishes  a  new  motive  for  the  agitation 
and  a  rare  opportunity  for  the  work. 

The  National  League,  in  September  last,  issued  the 
following  circular :  — 

"  The  earnest  attention  of  members  of  the  League,  its 
co-workers,  and  all  committees  and  persons  seeking 
relief  for  the  unemployed,  is  respectfully  called  to  the 
present  favorable  conditions  for  road  improvement,  both 
for  its  own  sake  and  as  a  means  of  giving  employment 
and  stimulating  business  in  general. 

"  Capital,  as  well  as  labor,  is  idle,  and  bankers  are 
expecting  an  era  of  cheap  money,  bringing  a  quick 
demand  for  such  investments  as  town  and  county  bonds. 

"  Many  county  and  town  boards  in  various  States  are 
already  authorized  to  begin  road-making  and  to  issue 
bonds  therefor ;  others  require  only  the  sanction  of  a 

local  election. 

•     123 


124  NEW  ROADS  AND  KOAD  LAWS. 

"Men  enough  could  be  put  to  work  by  these  bodies, 
without  waiting  for  legislation,  to  give  sensible  relief 
to  the  labor  market,  and  materially  ease  the  hard  times 
in  their  localities,  while  the  roads  would  be  built  at  a 
minimum  of  cost  and  of  interest  charges.  Those  States 
that  have  not  adopted  the  modern  ideas  would  hasten 
their  legislation  to  avail  themselves  of  the  same  advan- 
tages, and  the  whole  country  be  lifted  out  of  its  tem- 
porary difficulties,  by  means  certain  to  promote  its 
permanent  prosperity. 

"  To  enforce  these  considerations  upon  the  attention 
of  the  boards  having  power  to  act,  and  upon  the  people 
having  right  to  vote  such  power,  is  the  practical  work 
of  the  hour.  Those  who  are  willing  to  join  actively  in 
this  work  in  their  localities  are  earnestly  requested  to 
communicate  with  the  League  at  these  headquarters, 
and  to  give  full  information  regarding  local  conditions." 

The  "  era  of  cheap  money  "  has  already  arrived,  and 
shows  signs  of  staying  indefinitely. 

No  prophet  is  bold  enough  to  fix  a  date  for  the 
revival  of  business,  though  some  light  on  the  subject 
may  be  drawn  from  experience  in  like  conditions. 
Speaking  in  1876,  during  the  great  depression  which 
followed  the  panic  of  1873,  in  reply  to  the  question, 
"When  will  business  revive?"  Senator  Thurman  of 
Ohio  said:  "All  that  is  necessary  is  for  a  man  to  open 
his  eyes  and  read  the  history  of  his  country  to  knoAV 
when  it  will  revive.  At  intervals  of  about  twenty 
years  we  have  one  of  those  things  called  a  panic,  fol- 
lowed by  stagnation  in  business,  the  result  of  over-trad- 


BOAD-BUILDING  AND  REVIVAL   OF  BUSINESS.       125 

ing,  over-production,  of  extravagance  of  all  sorts  and 
descriptions  —  extravagance  in  individuals,  extrava- 
gance in  corporations,  extravagance  in  governments, 
large  and  small  —  until  at  last  the  bubble  bursts,  and 
then  comes  a  season  of  retrenchment,  of  economy.  And 
how  long  does  that  last?  How  long  is  it  before  debts 
are  liquidated  and  a  surplus  is  accumulated,  so  that 
there  begins  to  be  an  upward  tide  in  the  business  of  the 
country  ?  Never  has  it  been  less  than  four  years  in  the 
United  States. 

"  One  of  the  first  things  that  I  can  recollect  when  I 
was  a  very  small  boy,  not  higher  than  this  desk,  was 
the  condition  of  monetary  affairs  in  1819.  How  long 
did  that  stagnation  last?  It  lasted  until  1823.  Then 
business  began  to  revive  throughout  the  country,  and  a 
period  of  great  prosperity  followed.  Then  came  the 
panic  and  suspension  of  1837,  and  the  great  stagnation 
in  business  that  followed.  How  long  did  that  last 
before  business  revived  and  the  country  began  to  be 
prosperous  again?  Five  years.  Then  came  1857,  at 
an  interval  of  twenty  years,  and  business  had  not 
revived  when  the  war  broke  out  and  changed  the  whole 
face  of  affairs.  And  now  comes  the  stagnation  of  1873, 
and  nothing  but  time,  economy,  honesty,  and  retrench- 
ment, will  liquidate  indebtedness  and  accumulate  a 
surplus  which  will  set  business  in  motion  again  and 
make  the  country  prosper  once  more." 

A  writer  in  one  of  the  morning  papers  brings  to- 
gether reports  of  the  business  situation  in  this  country 
in  the  years  immediately  following  the  panic  of  1873, 


126  NEW  ROADS  AND   11OAD  LAWS. 

in  order  to  show  the  course  of  business  recovery  after 
that  financial  disturbance.  He  sums  up  the  result  as 
follows :  — 

"  It  thus  appears  that  the  recovery  from  the  collapse 
of  1873  did  not  fairly  begin  until  the  summer  of  1877, 
or  four  years  afterward,  and  was  not  complete  until 
1879,  or  six  years  afterward." 

Should  then  the  fifth  great  panic  of  the  series,  that 
of  1893,  be  like  in  its  results  to  the  other  four,  we  may 
expect  to  spend  the  remaining  years  of  the  nineteenth 
century  in  "stagnation,  retrenchment,  and  liquidation." 

But  history  may  not  always  repeat  itself,  and  the 
genius  of  the  age  is  bold  enough  to  undertake  any 
promising  short  cut  to  prosperity,  regardless  of  all  the 
landmarks  of  history  and  precedent.  Unfortunately, 
the  most  of  these  short  cuts  yet  proposed  are  by  the  way 
of  inflation  of  the  currency,  which  promises  nothing  but 
to  drive  out  foreign  capital  and  alarm  home  investors. 
Thurman  himself,  who  was  not  always  for  sound  money, 
ridiculed  the  idea  that  the  effect  of  a  panic  could  be 
overcome  by  inflating  the  currency. 

It  is  not  the  lack  of  money,  but  the  lack  of  circulation 
for  it,  that  makes  the  hard  times  at  present.  The  first 
effect  of  the  panic  was  to  take  the  money  out  of  banks 
and  hide  it;  the  second  effect  was  to  take  it  out  of 
business ;  the  former  was  soon  over,  and  the  money  has 
gone  back  to  the  banks  for  safe  keeping,  but  the  latter 
goes  on.  Confidence  in  the  banks  has  returned,  but 
confidence  in  business  has  not ;  the  capital  withdrawn 
from  business,  which  gave  employment  to  labor,  is 


EO AD-BUILDING  AND  REVIVAL    OF  BUSINESS.      127 

being  added  to  the  mass  of  bank  deposits,  and  labor  is 
turned  adrift.  Money  is  idle  in  banks,  and  workmen 
are  idle  at  home.  Employment  for  both  is  wanted,  and 
neither  can  get  it  without  the  other;  the  deadlock  i.j 
complete;  money  will  not  go  back  into  the  ordinary 
channels  of  employment,  on  account  of  the  uncertainties 
of  the  future,  and  labor  cannot  employ  itself. 

To  break  this  deadlock  it  is  only  needful  to  find  a 
safe  and  profitable  way  to  use  money;  and  it  need  not 
be  so  very  profitable  either,  for  money  is  as  eager  as 
labor  to  be  employed,  and  will  accept  small  returns,  if 
they  are  only  sure. 

Causes  quite  independent  of  the  money  panic  have 
helped  to  bring  about  the  present  state  of  things.  In 
particular,  the  gradual  diminution  of  railway-building, 
in  consequence  of  over-building,  has,  within  a  few 
years  past,  thrown  out  of  employment,  or  forced  into 
occupations  already  over-crowded,  nearly  all  the  men 
who  were  engaged  in  it.  The  number  employed 
directly  in  railway  construction,  or  collaterally  in  the 
manufacture  of  material,  equipment,  and  supplies  for 
new  railroads,  was,  in  1887,  according  to  the  New  Yurie 
Sun,  800,000. 

Of  this  vast  army,  all  who  are  idle  are  a  direct  charge 
upon  the  public,  which  cannot  let  them  starve;  those 
who  have  found  work  have  probably  through  their 
competition  cut  down  the  wages  of  others  more  in  the 
aggregate  than  all  they  have  themselves  earned;  this 
again,  by  lessening  the  purchasing  power  of  still  larger 
numbers,  ha;  diminished  employment  in  other  fields; 


128  NEW  EOADS  AND   ROAD   LAWS. 

and  thus  in  ever-widening  circles,  this  one  disturbance 
has  spread  disaster  through  all  our  industries. 

Coincident  with  it,  the  fall  in  price  of  silver,  and  the 
substitution  of  machinery  for  hand  labor  in  iron  mining, 
have  thrown  thousands  of  miners  out  of  work;  the 
customary  outlet  for  all  spare  labor,  the  opening  of 
new  farms  on  the  public  domain,  has  been  closed  by 
the  almost  complete  occupation  of  the  arable  lands; 
the  capital  dislodged  from  railroad  construction,  min- 
ing, etc.,  which  would  in  ordinary  times  have  snatched 
the  opportunity  to  avail  itself  of  cheap  labor  in  other 
enterprises,  has  remained  locked  up. 

The  effects  of  all  this  are  seen  in  lower  wages  for 
common  labor  than  have  been  known  for  a  generation, 
and  lower  rates  of  interest  for  money  on  call  than  have 
ever  prevailed  for  any  length  of  time  in  this  country. 

Sixty  and  seventy-five  cents  per  day  for  labor,  and 
one  per  cent  per  annum  for  money,  are  rates  Ave  could 
not  have  dreamed  of  in  America  a  few  years  ago. 

But  this  situation,  deplorable  as  it  may  be,  is  not 
without    its    especial    opportunities.       The    conditions , 
offer  unusual  inducements  for  the  inception  of  perma- 
nent  works    of   a   public   character,   and  through  this 
means  the  general  deadlock  may  measurably  be  broken. 

Quite  apart  from  the  philanthropic  motive  of  furnish- 
ing relief  to  the  destitute,  it  is  clear  that  the  time  to 
push  public  works  with  profit  is  when  private  enterprise 
drops  out  of  competition  with  them. 

If  it  be  true  that  he  who  invents  a  new  want  is  a 
benefactor  of  mankind,  through  the  employment  given 


ROAD-BUILDING  AND   UEVIVAL   OF  BUSINESS.      129 

iii  supplying  that  want,  he  certainly  is  one  who  finds 
the  way  to  fill  an  existing  want,  and  one  so  long  felt 
and  so  universal  that  the  country  has  despaired  of  its 
being  filled,  and  who  at  the  same  time  provides  a  new 
field  of  employment  for  men  and  money,  and  gives  to  a 
whole  people  the  first  lift  out  of  the  slough  of  despond. 

The  opportunity  to  do  this  offers  itself  to  legislators 
in  every  State  of  the  Union  to-day.  The  natural 
sequence  to  railway-building  is  the  building  of  feeders 
to  railways.  A  system  of  good  common  roads  is  essen- 
tial to  the  complete  usefulness  of  the  railways,  and 
necessary  in  every  way  to  the  public  welfare ;  the  con- 
struction of  such  a  system  only  waits  on  legislative 
action,  and  when  fairly  begun  it  will  furnish  as  much 
if  not  more  employment  than  did  railway-building  in 
its  most  active  days. 

Many  believe  it  the  duty  of  the  State  to  promote 
employment,  and  the  wisdom  of  giving  work  rather 
than  alms  to  the  able-bodied  poor  is  undisputed;  but  in 
this  matter  we  need  not  invoke  any  doubtful  powers 
nor  pretend  to  any  benevolence,  but  look  only  to  the 
narrowest  and  most  sordid  consideration,  namely,  that 
the  State  can  drive  a  good  bargain  with  its  citizens  in 
their  time  of  need. 

Some  believe  that  the  National  Legislature  should 
act  in  this  behalf,  but  there  are  so  many  opinions  on  the 
subject,  and  so  many  questions,  constitutional,  politi- 
cal, and  practical,  involved  in  national  action,  that  it 
would  be  folly  to  wait  on  their  discussion  and  settle- 
ment, when  the  way  is  clear  for  the  States  to  proceed 


130  NEW  ROADS  AND   ROAD  LAWS. 

at  once.  Not  only  is  the  way  clear,  but  enough  has 
been  done  by  one  State,  at  least,  to  point  out  a  method 
of  procedure  that  is  easily  practicable  and  already 
proven  to  be  successful. 

Many  of  the  States  have  only  got  so  far  in  their 
efforts  at  road-making  as  to  find  out  "how  not  to  do 
it " ;  but  New  Jersey,  as  we  have  seen,  has  found  how 
to  do  it,  and  is  rapidly  putting  that  knowledge  into 
effect,  the  secret  of  the  method  being  in  a  neighborhood 
initiative  and  contributive,  with  voluntary  State  aid 
and  compulsory  county  aid. 

The  justice  and  policy  of  State  aid  to  road-building 
have  been  disputed,  but  the  practical  good  accomplished 
by  it  in  New  Jersey  is  fast  reconciling  her  people  to  it 
and  inclining  those  of  neighboring  States  to  its  adop- 
tion. New  York  and  Pennsylvania  are  both  moving  in 
that  direction.  It  is  the  only  method  through  which 
the  cities  and  corporations,  which  pay  the  bulk  of  our 
State  taxes,  can  give  the  help  which  most  of  them  are 
willing  and  anxious  to  give,  towards  the  building  of 
country  roads.  Should  the  other  States  adopt  this 
method,  they  will  find  it  easy  to  carry  out.  If  they 
should  need  to  borrow  money  for  their  portion  of  the 
expense,  they  are  generally  in  excellent  credit  and  can 
borrow  at  low  rates.  The  counties  can  do  the  same; 
and  if  the  local  property-owners  cannot  pay  their  share 
at  once,  the  counties  can  give  them  time  to  pay  it  out 
of  the  benefits  realized,  as  cities  do  in  the  analogous 
case  of  street  improvement. 

The    national   government   could    do   one    thing   to 


ROAD-BUILDING   AND  REVIVAL   OF  BUSINESS.     131 

stimulate  and  aid  tins  work,  and  that  without  straining 
its  powers  or  incurring  any  responsibilities.  The  need 
of  new  securities  for  bank  circulation,  in  place  of  the 
rapidly  maturing  government  bonds,  is  pressing  upon 
Congress,  and  a  variety  of  expedients  have  been  sug- 
gested to  meet  this  emergency.  Among  these  are  the 
acceptance,  for  this  purpose,  of  county  road  bonds, 
limited  in  amount  and  guaranteed  by  the  State.  Such 
bonds  would  have  the  peculiar  merit  of  multiplying  their 
own  security,  since  experience  shows  that  every  new 
road  built  adds  many  times  its  cost  to  the  taxable 
values  of  the  district  in  which  it  lies. 

The  State,  having  the  taxing  power,  could  always 
protect  its  own  indorsement  and  save  itself  from  loss. 

With  a  proper  limit  to  the  issue  of  bonds,  and  a  State 
supervision  of  the  road-building,  to  insure  an  honest 
expenditure  of  the  money,  the  State  would  run  no  risk, 
the  government  would  get  the  best  of  securities,  and 
the  counties,  by  means  of  the  State  indorsement  and  the 
assured  market  for  their  bonds,  would  be  able  to  borrow 
at  so  low  a  rate  and  on  such  time  that  the  interest  and 
sinking  fund  charges  would  be  but  a  light  burden. 
Probably  the  average  rate  of  interest  would  not  exceed 
three  per  cent  per  annum,  and  one-half  of  one  per  cent 
per  annum  in  a  sinking  fund  would  pay  off  the  princi- 
pal in  seventy-five  years. 

But  to  judge  of  the  feasibility  of  this  method  of  road 
improvement  we  must  consider  the  combined  weight  of 
the  State,  county  4  and  local  taxation  imposed  by  such 
improvement,  as  compared  with  the  present  taxation 


132  NEW  ROADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

for  road  maintenance  only.  Taking  the  State  of  New 
York,  for  example :  the  total  road  mileage  in  that  State 
is  estimated  by  some  at  100,000  miles,  or  1  mile  to  each 
300  acres  of  land;  the  present  maintenance  tax  is 
$3,000,000  annually,  or  an  average  of  $50,000  to  each 
county,  and  of  $30  for  each  mile  of  road,  though  of  this 
amount  probably  five-sixths  is  applied  to  one-half  of  the 
roads,  the  other  half  being  only  neighborhood  or  by- 
roads. Properly  to  improve  the  important  half,  which 
is  all  that  need  be  considered,  would  require  an  average 
expenditure  of  about  $1500  per  mile.  This  estimate 
may  seem  low,  but  it  is  two-thirds  more  than  the  cost 
of  the  stone  roads  of  Canandaigua,  N.Y.  At  this  rate, 
the  total  for  the  State  would  amount  to  $75,000,000. 
Supposing  the  State  and  county  each  to  pay  two-fifths 
of  the  expense,  and  the  respective  neighborhoods  one- 
fifth,  the  sixty  counties  would  have  to  borrow  $30,000,- 
000,  or  an  average  of  a  half  million  dollars  each,  for 
their  own  share,  and  a  quarter  million  more  temporarily, 
to  carry  the  property-owners'  portion  until  it  could  be 
paid. 

The  interest  and  sinking  fund  charge  on  the  half 
million  would  be  $17,500  per  annum;  but  it  is  not  too 
much  to  say  that  when  the  travelled  roads  of  a  county 
were  Avell  built,  the  saving  in  maintenance  would  be 
fully  one-third  of  the  present  cost,  which  would  practi- 
cally meet  this  charge  without  increase  of  taxation, 
while  the  interest  and  principal  of  the  quarter  of  a 
million  would  be  paid  by  the  local  property-owners  who 
borrow  it. 


ROAD-BUILDING  AND  REVIVAL   OF  BUSINESS.     133 

The  property-owners  would  pay  one-fifth  of  $1500 
per  mile,  or  $300,  which  equals  50  cents  per  acre  on 
the  600  acres  of  land  which  would  on  the  average  be 
benefited.  This,  if  spread  over  ten  years,  would  be  5 
cents  per  acre,  or,  including  interest,  something  less 
than  6  cents  per  acre  annually. 

If  the  State  should  borrow  its  $30,000,000  on  the 
same  terms,  its  annual  share  for  interest  and  principal 
would  be  $1,050,000. 

Since  only  seven  per  cent  of  the  State  taxes  are  paid 
by  the  farm  property  of  the  State,  this  charge  would 
amount  to  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  cent  per  acre  annually, 
and  may  be  dismissed  from  consideration  as  bearing 
upon  the  farmer.  The  cities,  corporations,  inheritors, 
and  others,  who  pay  the  remainder,  will  not  feel  it  a 
serious  burden  in  view  of  the  vast  compensations  it 
will  bring.  The  total  is  only  about  one-half  of  the 
proceeds  of  a  comparatively  new  source  of  revenue  in 
that  State,  the  inheritance  tax  alone. 

It  appears,  therefore,  to  be  possible  for  the  State  of 
New  York  to  abolish  forever  its  "  bad  roads  tax, "  which 
the  State  Highway  Manual  estimates  at  $1  per  acre,  or 
$30,000,000  annually,  by  the  mere  appropriation  of  one- 
half  the  inheritance  tax,  and  by  the  voluntary  action  of 
the  farmers  in  adding  a  little  more  than  one-half  to 
their  present  road  taxes  for  the  space  of  ten  years. 

What  can  be  done  in  New  York  can  be  done  else- 
where; and  with  the  assurance  that  it  is  practicable, 
and  will  be  profitable  too,  to  build  good  roads  generally 
and  promptly  throughout  the  country,  it  remains  to  be 


134  NEW  ROADS  AND   ROAD   LAWS. 

considered  how  tliis  will  effect  an  immediate  revival  of 
business. 

For  those  who  have  watched  the  wave  of  agricultural 
prosperity  which  attends  the  mere  grading  of  a  railroad, 
through  a  difficult  country,  no  explanation  on  this  point 
is  needed.  For  that  work  every  farmer  turns  out  a 
"scratch  team"  and  receives  more  ready  money  from 
the  earnings  of  "the  boy  and  the  colts"  than  he  has 
done  from  his  farm  products  for  many  years,  while 
everything  he  raises  finds  a  home  market  for  a  year  or 
two  at  good  prices. 

The  expenditure  of  $50,000  of  outside  cash  in  an 
average  township,  for  road  improvement,  not  only  means 
good  times  while  it  is  going  on,  but  will  make  impor- 
tant additions  to  the  permanent  business  capital  of  the 
township. 

It  means,  moreover,  the  payment  of  debts,  the  revival 
of  local  trade,  and,  when  it  becomes  general,  the 
increase  of  the  purchasing  power  of  the  entire  agricul- 
tural class,  —  a  class  which,  being  largely  freed  from 
expense  for  food,  can  devote  a  much  greater  share  of 
its  cash  income  to  the  purchase  of  manufactures  than 
can  those  whose  food  supply  is  a  daily  fixed  charge 
upon  their  earnings. 

Increased  purchases  by  the  farmers  mean  increased 
employment  for  the  artisan  class,  thereby  adding  to 
their  power  to  purchase  farm  products,  and  when  it  is 
once  begun,  this  action  and  reaction  brings  prosperity 
to  producer  and  consumer,  including  full  employment 
to  all  who  are  engaged  in  the  exchange  and  transporter- 


ROAD-BUILDING  AND  REVIVAL   OF  BUSINESS.      135 

tion  of  products.  It  is  only  necessary  to  set  the  ball 
rolling,  and  the  place  of  all  places  to  start  it  is  with 
the  farmers ;  money  expended  among  them  will  quickly 
find  its  way  through  all  the  channels  of  trade  and  pro- 
duction. It  would  be  worth  while,  at  this  crisis,  even 
to  make  some  sacrifices  for  this  purpose.  How  much 
more  is  it  worth  while  to  bring  it  about  by  inaugurating 
a  work  of  the  highest  beneficence,  or,  as  the  National 
League  puts  it,  "to  lift  the  country  out  of  its  present 
difficulties  by  means  which  are  certain  to  promote  its 
permanent  prosperity." 

The  extent  of  roads  in  the  United  States  is  estimated 
at  about  one  arid  one-half  millions  of  miles.  The  cost 
of  improvement  will  average  higher  elsewhere  than  in 
New  York,  which  has  good  materials  well  distributed; 
it  may  be  taken  generally  at  about  $  1800  per  mile.  To 
improve  one-half  of  the  roads  in  the  country  at  that  rate 
would  cost  $1,350,000,000.  This  is  a  vast  amount,  but 
it  would  be  less  difficult  to  raise  it  for  roads  than  for 
railroads,  and  it  would  be  easier  to  expend  it  within  a 
given  time,  the  area  of  operation  being  wider  and  con- 
struction so  much  more  simple.  If  this  sum  were 
expended  for  that  purpose  before  1900,  it  would  not 
quite  equal  the  expenditure  for  railroads  in  the  same 
length  of  time  prior  to  1890,  but  it  would  be  better 
distributed  and  ought  to  go  far  toward  restoring  gen- 
eral prosperity;  certainly,  with  that  amount  of  money 
put  into  circulation,  and  good  roads  everywhere,  we 
might  make  shift  to  travel  comfortably  if  not  gaily  into 
the  new  century. 


136  NEW  EOADS  AND  ROAD  LAWS. 

In  view  of  all  the  conditions,  the  friends  of  road 
improvement  should  now  be  able  to  enlist  the  great 
financial  and  commercial  interests  of  the  country  in 
their  cause.  They  will  find  opposition  in  some  locali- 
ties to  the  incurring  of  debt  for  road-making,  but  they 
can  cite  the  experience  of  many  counties  and  townships 
in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  Michi- 
gan, Indiana,  and  Kentucky,  where  such  "borroAving" 
has  brought,  not  "sorrowing,"  but  relief  and  rejoicing, 
and  they  can  say  with  truth  that  no  instance  to  the 
contrary  has  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  National 
League  or  been  developed  by  the  government  inquiry. 
If  any  man  doubts  the  practical  value  of  road  improve- 
ment, let  them  persuade  him  to  visit  the  counties  of 
Camden  and  Burlington  in  New  Jersey,  and  he  will 
find  farming  communities  actually  getting  rich  in  these 
hard  times,  solely  by  reason  of  their  good  roads. 


APPENDIX. 


ABSTRACTS    OF    NEW   ROAD  LAWS   IN 
SIXTEEN   STATES. 


CALIFORNIA. 
LAW  OF  1893. 

1.  Board  of  supervisors  divide  the  county  into  road   Road  districts, 
districts,  and  each  supervisor  is  road  commissioner  in 

his  district. 

2.  Board  of  supervisors  have  control  of  all  roads, 
and  as  road  commissioners,  they  take  charge  of  all 
repairs.     They  receive  20  cents  per  mile,  one  way,  for 
travelling  on  this  duty,  but  not  to  exceed  $  300  per 
annum. 


Board  of  su- 
pervisors : 
duties ;  com- 
pensation. 


INDIANA. 
FREE  GRAVEL  ROAD,  LAW  OF  1893. 

1.  County  commissioners,  upon  petition  of  fifty  free- 
holders of  any  township  or  contiguous  townships  con- 
taining an  incorporated  town  or  city  of  less  than  30,000 
inhabitants,  for  the  improving  of  any  road  by  grading, 
paving,  mecadamizing,  or  gravelling,  shall  submit  the 
question  to  the  voters  of  the  township,  towns,  and 
cities  on  the  line  of  the  road,  and  if  the  majority  of 
those  voting  are  in  favor  of  such  improving,  the  com- 
missioners shall  proceed  to  build  such  road  at  once. 

2.  The  petitioners  to  pay  all  costs  of  election. 

3.  Construction  to  be  let  to  the  lowest  responsible 

bidder. 

139 


Question  of 
road  improve- 
ment to  be 
submitted  to 
voters. 


Costs. 
Construction. 


140 


APPENDIX. 


Bonds. 


Special  tax. 


Free  gravel 
roads 


4.  County  bonds  running  from  one  to  five  years  to 
be  issued  for  construction  of  the  roads. 

5.  These  bonds  and  interest  to  be  paid  by  special 
tax  upon  the  property  of  the  townships,  towns,  and 
cities  on  the  line  in  proportion  to  the  cost  of  the  road 
in  each. 

6.  Free  gravel  or  stone  roads  may  be  built  on  county 
lines  and  their  cost  assessed  upon  the  lands  within  2 
miles  on  each  side. 


MASSACHUSETTS. 
HIGHWAY  COMMISSION  AND  STATE  KOAD  LAW  OF  1893. 


Highway  com- 
missioners ; 
duties,  sal- 
aries. 


State  high- 
ways. 


Connecting 
roads. 


1.  Governor   and    council    appoint    three    commis- 
sioners,   at   a   salary  of  $2000   each   and  travelling 
expenses.      Commission   to   compile   statistics,    make 
investigations,  advise  regarding  construction,  altera- 
tion, and  maintenance  of  roads,  prepare  maps  showing 
location  of  road  materials,  and  hold  a  public  meeting 
in  each  county  for  the  discussion  of  road  matters  at 
least  once  a  year. 

2.  Upon  petition  of  county  commissioner  the  com- 
mission may  adopt  any  road  as  a  State  highway,  and 
construct  the  same  if  the  legislature  makes  appropria- 
tion therefor,  except  that  the  grading  and  bridging 
shall  be  done  by  the  county.     Such  highway  to  be 
maintained   by  the    State   under  supervision    of   the 
commission. 

3.  Upon  petition  of  two  or  more  cities  or  towns  a 
connecting  road,  new  or  existing,  may  be  made  a  State 
highway,  and  constructed  in  the  same  manner. 


Electors  vote 
road  system. 


MICHIGAN. 
COUNTY  OPTION  LAW,  1893. 

1.  The  board  of  supervisors  of  any  county  may,  by 
a  two-thirds  vote  of  all  the  members  of  said  board, 
submit  the  question  of  adopting  the  county  road  sys- 
tem to  a  vote  of  the  electors  of  such  county. 


APPENDIX. 


141 


2.  In  any  county  where  the  county  road  system  shall 
be  adopted,  a  board  of  county  road  commissioners, 
not  exceeding  five  in  number,  shall  be  elected  by  the 
people  of  such  county. 

3.  Said  board  of  county  road  commissioners  may 
lay  out  such  new  roads  within  the  county  as  they  deem 
necessary. 

4.  Any  road  heretofore  laid  out,  or  any  part  thereof, 
shall  become  a  county  road  if  the  board  of  county  road 
commissioners  shall  at  any  time  so  determine. 

5.  Said  board  of  county  road  commissioners  shall 
determine  the  amount  of  tax  to  be  raised.     Such  tax 
shall  not  exceed  $2  on  each  $1000  of  the  assessed 
valuation. 

6.  Whenever  the  board  of  supervisors  of  the  county 
shall,  by  a  two-thirds  vote  of  all  the  members,  resolve 
to  contract  indebtedness  or  issue  bonds  to  raise  money 
for  the  construction  and  maintenance  of  county  roads, 
the  question  shall  be  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  electors 
of  the  county  at  a  general  or  a  special  election  to  be 
called  for  that  purpose.  .  .  .     No  bond  or  evidence  of 
indebtedness  shall  be  negotiated  at  less  than  par  and 
the  accrued  interest. 

NOTE.  —  The  constitution  of  Michigan  was  amended 
in  1892  to  permit  this  legislation. 


County  road 
commission- 

ers. 


Duties. 


County  roads. 


Tax> 


Bonds,  issue 
of;  question 
to  be  sub- 
mitted to  vote 
of  electors. 


MISSOURI. 
LOCAL  OPTION  LAW  OF  1893. 

1.  A  majority  of  the  legal  voters  voting  may  adopt 
the  county  system  ;  whereupon, 

2.  County  courts  appoint  supervisors  of  roads. 

3.  County  courts  provide  for  working,  repairing,  and 
improving  all  public  roads  in  the  counties  by  contract. 

4.  Supervisors  shall  inspect  the  work  and  repairs 
contracted   for   and   make    quarterly   reports    to    the 
county  court,  showing  the  condition  of  roads  in  the 
several  districts. 


County  sys- 
tem. 

Supervisors. 

Improving 
roads. 

Quarterly  re- 
ports. 


142 


APPENDIX. 


Tollgates 


County  court 
may  sub  scribe. 


Poll-tax. 


5.  County  courts  may  establish  tollgates  upon  any 
roads  that  may  be  gravelled,  macadamized,  or  planked 
in  a  substantial  manner. 

6.  Whenever  any  citizen  subscribes  fifty  (50)  dollars 
or  more  for  the  purpose  of  improving  any  road,  the 
county  court  may  subscribe  a  like  amount. 

7.  Poll-tax  of  $2  and  property  tax  of  10  to  20  cents 
per  $  100,  payable  in  money  for  county  road  fund. 


Highway  dis- 
tricts. 


Funds,  rais- 
ing. 


Highway 
agents. 


NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 
ROAD  LAW,  1893. 

1.  Each  town  shall  constitute  one  highway  district; 
all  subdivisions  are  abolished. 

2.  Each  town  shall  raise  twenty-five  (25)  cents  per 
$100,  and  as  much  more  as  may  be  deemed  necessary 
for  road  purposes,  but  not  more  than  fifty  (50)  dollars 
per  mile  of  road. 

3.  Each    town    elects   highway   agents,   who   have 
charge  of  the  construction  and  repairs  of  highway 
and  purchases. 


Township 
committee. 


County  bonds. 


State  aid. 


Chosen  free- 
holders may 
improve  roads. 


NEW  JERSEY. 
ROAD  LAWS,  1888  TO  1892. 

1.  The  roads  of  a  township  are  placed  under  the 
management  of  the  township  committee,  and  money 
may  be  raised  by  township  bonds  for  grading,  macad- 
amizing, and  improving  the  same ;  bonds  to  be  author- 
ized by  vote  of  the  annual  town  meeting. 

2.  The  board  of  chosen  freeholders  of  any  county 
may   designate   certain   roads    as    county   roads   and 
improve  the  same  by  the  issue  of  county  bonds. 

3.  The  State  shall  pay  one-third  of  all  cost  of  road 
improvement  so  authorized  by  the  chosen  freeholders, 
within  the  limit,  at  present,  of  $75,000  per  annum. 

4.  Whenever  the  owners  of  two-thirds  of  the  lands 
fronting  on  any  public  road  will  undertake  to  pay 


APPENDIX. 


143 


one-tenth  of  the  cost  of  improving  such  road,  it  shall 
be  the  duty  of  the  board  of  chosen  freeholders  to 
cause  such  improvements  to  be  made. 

5.  The  office  of  overseer  of  highways  is  abolished.      Abolished. 

6.  All  road  taxes  are  to  be  paid  in  money.  Eoad  taxes. 


NEW  YORK. 
COUNTY  ROAD  LAW,  1893. 

1.  The  board  of  supervisors  may  adopt  the  county 
road  system  and  designate  county  roads. 

2.  A  county  engineer  to  be  appointed  in  every  such 
county  by  the  board  of  supervisors. 

3.  County  roads  to  be  maintained  at  the  county 
charge. 

4.  County  engineer  to  have  full  supervision  of  con- 
struction and  maintenance  of  county  roads. 

5.  Board    may    borrow    money   for    construction, 
maintenance,  and  repair. 

6.  May  issue  bonds  for  twenty  years  bearing  5  per 
cent  interest,  but  not  to  be  sold  below  par. 

7.  All  road  taxes  in  such  counties  to  be  paid  in 
money. 

Additional  laws  provide  for  an  experiment  in  the 
use  of  convict  labor  on  highways  near  Clinton  prison, 
and  for  the  publication  of  a  manual  containing  the 
highway  laws  of  the  State  and  giving  instruction  in 
road-making.  Copies  to  be  furnished  to  each  commis- 
sioner and  overseer  of  highways  at  the  town  charge. 


County  road 
system. 

County  engi- 
neer. 


County 
charge. 

Construction 
of  roads. 


May  borrow 
money. 

Bonds. 


Road  taxes 
paid  in  money. 


NORTH   DAKOTA. 
COUNTY  ROAD  FUND  LAW,  1893. 
In  addition  to  all  other  taxes  for  highway  purposes   Special  tax  for 

.        roadimprove- 

a  special  tax  on  all  property  in  the  county,  except  in    ment. 
incorporated  towns  and  cities,  may  be  collected  and 
kept  as  a  county  fund  for  the  improvement  of  the 
principal  thoroughfares  in  the  county  under  direction 
of  the  county  commissioners.1 


144 


APPENDIX, 


County  court 
may  improve 

roads. 


Koad  viewers. 


County  fund 
to  pay  one- 
half. 


Free. 
Special  tax. 

Day's  work. 


OREGON. 
COUNTY  ROAD  LAW,  1893. 

1.  The  county  court  of  any  county  is  empowered, 
upon  petition  of  a  majority  of  the  resident  landholders 
within  3  miles  of  the  proposed  improvement,  to  im- 
prove, change,  grade,  drain,  gravel,  or  macadamize  any 
county  road  or  public  highway. 

2.  Viewers  are  appointed  by  the  court  to  apportion 
the  estimated  cost  upon  all  the  side  lands  within  3 
miles,  according  to  the  benefits  derived  therefrom. 

3.  If  the  county  court  be  satisfied  that  the  proposed 
improvement   will   justify  an   expenditure   from   the 
county  fund,  it  may  order  that  a  portion  of  said  cost, 
not  exceeding  50  per  cent,  shall  be  so  paid. 

4.  All  roads  built  under  provisions  of  this  act  are 
free  of  toll. 

5.  The  county  court  may  levy  a  special  tax  of  50 
cents  per  $  100,  and  a  poll  tax  of  $  2  per  head,  as  a 
fund  for  building  and  maintaining  county  roads  and 
bridges. 

6.  Petitioners  for  county  road  must  each  do  one 
day's  work  on  the  road  or  pay  $  2  to  the  supervisor. 


TENNESSEE. 


lioad  districts. 


Duties  of  com- 
missioners. 


Overseers  and 
tools. 

Convicts  may 
be  employed. 


ROAD  LAWS  OF  1894. 

1.  County  courts  divide  their  counties   into  road 
districts  and  choose  commissioners  for  each  district. 

2.  Such  commissioners  control  highways  and  pur- 
chases in  their  district,  and  direct  the  manner  of  work- 
ing roads. 

3.  Commissioners  appoint  overseers  and  purchase 
necessary  tools  and  materials. 

4.  All  persons  confined   in    county  jails  or  work- 
houses  are   available   to   the   commissioners   for  the 
purpose  of  working  on  the  public  highways. 


APPENDIX.  145 

5.   The  county  court  may  assess  the  number  of  days'   Tax. 
poll-tax  from  four  to  eight,  and  a  highway  tax  from  5 
to  25  cents  on  $100. 

VERMONT. 
ROAD  LAW  OF  1892. 

1.  Creates  the  office  of  road  commissioner  for  each   Road  commis- 

sioner, 
town. 

2.  Lays  a  town  tax  of  20  cents  on  the  dollar  of  the   state  an(l towE 
grand  list,1  and  a  State  tax  of  5  cents  on  the  dollar  for 

support  of  the  highways;  the  State  tax  to  be  appor- 
tioned and  repaid  to  the  towns  according  to  road 
mileage. 

The  law  of  1893  creates  a  State  highway  commis-   Highway  com- 
sion  to  investigate  the  matter  of  road-building  in  the 
State. 

WASHINGTON. 
ROAD  LAWS,  1890  TO  1893. 

1.  Commissioners  of  any  countv  may  cause  to  be   Commission- 

.,,.,,         .  ,  ,.  ,         i.i  ers  may  im- 

estabhsned  or  improved  any  public  road  or  highway;      prove  roads. 

2.  They  may  submit  to  the  voters  of  such  county   Election, 
the  question  of  issuing  bonds ; 

3.  Such  bonds  to  run  not  more  than  twenty  years,    Bonds, 
and  not  to  exceed  6  per  centum  interest;  and 

4.  Not  to  make  the  accrued  indebtedness  exceed  1J    indebtedness. 
per  cent  of  the  value  of  the  taxable  property  in  the 

county. 

5.  Bonds  to  be  sold  at  not  less  than  par.  Par  value- 

6.  A  State  road  through  the  Cascade  Mountains  to    State  road, 
be  built  under  authority  of  a  special  commission. 

WISCONSIN. 
ROAD  LAWS  OF  1893. 

1.    The  town  board  of  each  town  shall  have  full   Town  board, 
supervision,  management,  and  control  of  roads  in  said   duties< 

1  The  "  grand  list "  is  1  per  cent  of  the  valuation  of  property. 


146 


APPENDIX. 


Purchase  of 
material,  etc.; 
l>ay. 


Pay  taxes  in 
money. 


town,  and  may  make  and  repair  the  same  by  contract, 
and  appoint  a  competent  superintendent  of  roads. 

2.  The  town    board   may  procure   machinery  and 
material,  and  hire  laborers  and  teams ;  may  purchase 
gravel  pits,  stone  quarries ;  may  make  temporary  loans 
on  the  credit  of  the  town,  to  be  paid  from  the  road 
taxes. 

3.  All  road  taxes  to  be  paid  in  money,  except  in 
townships  which  specifically  vote  to  retain  the  labor 
system. 

KENTUCKY. 

The  Fiscal  Court  of  each  county  to  have  full  charge 
of  roads.  To  levy  a  tax  not  exceeding  25  cents  per 
$  100  on  property,  and  a  poll-tax  not  mote  than  one 
dollar,  and  a  labor  tax  not  more  than  six  days.  To 
appoint  a  county  and  district  supervisors. 


NORTH   CAROLINA. 

County  commissioners  and  justices  of  the  peace  may 
provide  a  county  fund  for  roads  by  a  tax  not  exceeding 
15  cents  per  $  100,  and  four  days'  poll-tax.  All  jail 
prisoners  and  State  prisoners  for  a  term  of  less  than 
five  years,  and  all  vagrants,  are  available  for  highway 
work,  and  courts  may  sentence  convicts  to  hard  labor 
on  the  public  roads  not  exceeding  ten  years. 

County  commissioners  have  full  control  of  expendi- 
ture for  the  county  road  fund. 


APPENDIX.  147 

PROPOSED   LAW   FOR   STATE   AID   IN 
NEW   YORK.1 

Nos.  1164,  1405. 

IX  ASSEMBLY, 

MARCH  9,  1894. 

Introduced  by  Mr.  KERR  —  read  once  and  referred  to  the  committee  on 
agriculture  —  reported  from  said  committee  with  amendments  —  ordered 
reprinted  as  amended  and  placed  on  the  order  of  second  reading. 

AN   ACT 

To   PROVIDE    FOR   THE   CONSTRUCTION   OF   ROADS   BY   LOCAL 
ASSESSMENT,  COUNTY  AND  STATE  AID. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  New  York,  represented   in   Senate  and 
Assembly,  do  enact  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.  Petition  of  bordering  land-owners  for  survey  and 
estimate  of  cost  of  local  road ;  subsequent  petition  of  residents  of 
benefit  district.  On  presentation  to  the  board  of  supervisors  of 
any  county  of  a  petition  signed  by  the  owners  of  not  less  than  one- 
third  of  the  lands  bordering  on  any  section  of  road  already  estab- 
lished or  proposed  to  be  established  in  such  county,  asking  for  a 
survey  and  estimate  of  the  cost  of  building  or  rebuilding  such  road 
in  a  substantial  and  permanent  manner  either  of  stone  or  gravel 
as  prescribed  in  such  petition,  such  board  of  supervisors  shall  cause 
such  survey  and  estimate  to  be  made  for  the  information  of  such 
petitioners,  and  shall  forward  a  copy  thereof  to  the  State  engineer. 
Whenever,  thereafter,  the  petitioners  shall  present  to  such  board  of 
supervisors  a  map  or  description  of  the  lands  which,  in  their 
opinion,  will  be  directly  benefited  by  the  construction  or  improve- 
ment of  such  road,  together  with  a  written  request  of  the  owners 
of  three-fifths  of  such  lands,  that  all  the  lands  so  benefited  and  the 
personal  property  in  such  district  be  assessed,  in  proportion  to 
the  benefits  conferred  for  such  construction  or  improvement,  to 
the  amount  of  one-third  of  the  total  cost  thereof,  such  board  of 
supervisors  shall  cause  such  road  to  be  constructed  or  improved. 

i  This  bill  passed  in  the  Assembly  by  a  vote  of  84  to  23.  . 


148  APPENDIX. 

Such  lands  so  mapped  or  described  shall  be  known  as  the  benefit 
district  of  the  said  section  of  road.  But  whenever  the  original 
petition  in  any  case  shall  set  forth  that  the  area  to  be  benefited  by 
the  road  is  peculiarly  restricted  by  the  proximity  of  other  roads  or 
by  other  circumstances,  an  examination  and  report  shall  be  made 
by  the  supervisor  of  the  town  and  the  surveyor  of  the  road,  and  if 
it  appears  thereby  that  such  area  is  less  than  two  square  miles  for 
each  mile  of  the  road  to  be  built,  then  the  proportion  of  cost  re- 
quired to  be  paid  by  the  benefit  district  shall  be  diminished  at  the 
rate  of  three  and  one-third  per  cent  of  the  whole  cost  for  the  first 
one  hundred  acres  of  such  deficiency,  and  three  per  cent  for  each 
additional  one  hundred  acres  of  said  deficiency,  but  shall  in  no 
case  be  less  than  one-tenth  of  the  whole,  and  the  balance  of  the 
cost  of  such  construction  shall  be  equally  borne  by  the  county  and 
State. 

SEC.  2.  Applications.  —  Copies  of  all  maps  and  descriptions  and 
requests  of  property  owners  residing  within  the  benefit  district 
accompanied  by  an  application  for  State  aid  shall  be  transmitted 
to  the  State  engineer,  who  shall  file  the  same  in  his  office  and  record 
the  date  of  the  receipt  thereof.  State  aid  shall  be  accorded  to  the 
various  benefit  districts  in  the  order  of  the  date  of  the  receipt  of 
their  applications,  and  when  such  applications  shall  be  sufficient  to 
exhaust  the  appropriation  made  for  such  purposes,  the  State  engi- 
neer shall  notify  the  applicants  and  the  county  board  of  supervisors 
and  all  liability  for  State  aid  shall  thereupon  cease.  Whenever 
any  subsequent  appropriation  is  made  it  shall  be  first-available  for 
the  applications  already  on  file  in  the  order  of  their  receipt.  Xo 
State  aid  shall  be  allowed  to  any  section  of  road  unless  the  State 
engineer  shall  certify  that  such  road  is  or  will  be  a  main  travelled 
road  and  a  proper  subject  to  receive  State  aid. 

SEC.  3.  Construction  of  road.  —  Such  road  shall  be  constructed 
or  improved  according  to  plans  and  specifications  furnished  by  the 
State  engineer  and  shall  conform  to  the  survey  and  estimate  of  cost 
provided  by  the  board  of  supervisors.  The  contract  for  such  con- 
struction or  improvement  shall  be  let  by  the  board  of  supervisors 
to  the  lowest  bidder  upon  the  publication  of  a  notice  once  in  each 
of  four  successive  weeks  in  two  newspapers  published  in  such 
county  stating  where  a  copy  of  the  plans  and  specifications  of  the 
proposed  construction  or  improvement  may  be  obtained,  and  the 


APPENDIX.  149 

time  and  place  where  the  board  of  supervisors  or  a  committee 
thereof  will  meet  to  receive  bids.  The  cost  of  the  publication  of 
such  notice  shall  be  a  county  charge.  Each  of  such  bids  shall  be 
accompanied  by  a  bond,  with  satisfactory  security  in  a  sum  to  be 
determined  by  the  board  of  supervisors,  conditioned  that  if  the  con- 
tract shall  be  awarded  to  such  bidder  he  will  execute  an  agreement, 
in  writing,  to  perform  the  work  according  to  the  plans  and  specifi- 
cations and  terms  of  the  contract.  Such  contract  shall  be  executed 
in  duplicate  by  the  chairman  of  the  board  of  supervisors  under  the 
direction  of  the  board,  one  of  which  shall  be  retained  by  the  con- 
tractor and  the  other  filed  with  the  clerk  of  the  board.  A  copy  of 
each  contract  shall  be  forwarded  to  the  State  engineer  to  be  filed 
in  his  office.  Before  beginning  the  construction  of  the  woik 
under  any  contract  the  State  engineer  shall  appoint  a  competent 
person  as  superintendent  of  such  work,  who  shall  receive  as  com- 
pensation a  sum  not  to  exceed  four  dollars  per  day,  to  be  paid  in 
the  same  manner  as  other  employes  in  the  State  engineer's  depart- 
ment, out  of  the  moneys  appropriated  for  that  purpose.  Such 
superintendent  shall  supervise  all  work  done  under  the  contract 
and  require  the  provisions  thereof  to  be  strictly  adhered  to  by  the 
contractor.  The  contract  may  provide  that  partial  payment  shall 
be  made  to  the  contractor  during  the  progress  of  the  work,  in 
which  case  such  superintendent  shall,  as  each  payment  becomes 
due,  make  a  certificate  to  the  chairman  of  the  board  of  supervisors, 
stating  the  amount  of  work  done  and  that  such  work  has  been 
done  according  to  the  provisions  of  the  contract,  and  thereupon 
such  chairman  shall  direct  payment  to  be  made  by  the  county 
treasurer  to  an  amount  not  exceeding  eighty  per  cent  of  the  value 
of  the  work  performed.  When  the  work  under  the  contract  shall 
be  fully  completed  the  superintendent  shall  make  a  detailed  and 
itemized  statement,  in  duplicate,  of  the  cost  of  the  construction  or 
improvement,  one  copy  of  which  shall  be  filed  with  the  secretary 
of  the  board  of  supervisors  and  one  with  the  State  engineer. 
When  such  roads  are  completed  they  shall  become  county  roads 
and  thereafter  be  maintained  at  county  expense. 

SEC.  4.   County  engineer.  —  A  county  engineer  may  be  employed 
by  the  board  of  supervisors  whenever  required  under  the  provisions-    •— ^ 
of  this  act.     Such  engineer  shall  have  general  supervisioi£;6ir7;he3?t  "5T" 
construction   of   all   roads   built   under   this   act,  and,  shall  have 

'     ^   "'•     ^ 


150  APPENDIX. 

power  to  suspend  any  superintendent  of  construction  appointed  by 
the  State  engineer,  for  neglect  of  duty  or  incapacity,  subject  to  the 
final  action  of  the  State  engineer  ;  during  such  suspension  he  may 
appoint  a  substitute,  who  shall  be  entitled  to  the  pay  of  such 
superintendent. 

SEC.  5.  Payment  of  cost  of  construction.  —  Except  in  cases 
where  the  benefits  are  "  peculiarly  restricted,"  one-third  of  the  total 
cost  of  the  construction  or  improvement  of  such  road  shall  be  paid 
by  the  owners  of  the  land  and  property  in  the  benefit  districts, 
which  amount  shall  be  assessed  upon  such  owners  according  to  the 
benefits  derived  by  them  ;  one-third  shall  be  a  county  charge,  and 
the  remaining  one-third  of  the  total  cost  shall  be  paid  from  the 
State  treasurer  to  the  county  treasurer,  upon  the  warrant  of  the 
comptroller  and  the  certificate  of  the  State  engineer  that  the  road 
has  been  properly  constructed  according  to  plans  and  specifications 
furnished  by  him. 

SEC.  6.  Assessment  of  cost  upon  property  benefited.  —  The 
assessors  of  each  town,  through  which  the  road  so  constructed  or 
improved  extends,  shall  one  year  after  the  completion  of  such  road 
assess  the  amount  to  be  paid  by  the  property  owners  of  the  benefit 
district  upon  the  parcels  of  land  and  personal  property  therein,  in 
proportion  to  the  benefits  conferred  by  such  construction  or  im- 
provement. They  shall  describe  in  the  annual  assessment-roll,  in 
a  place  separate  from  other  assessments,  the  several  parcels  of  land 
so  assessed,  and  set  down  the  name  of  the  owner  of  such  parcel, 
when  known,  with  the  amount  in  dollars  and  cents  assessed  on 
each  parcel.  Such  assessment  shall  be  a  part  of  the  annual  assess- 
ment-roll, and  shall  be  subject  to  review  and  correction  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  annual  assessment-roll,  and  the  sums  assessed  on 
the  several  parcels  of  land  shall  be  liens  thereon  respectively  until 
paid,  and  shall  be  collected  in  the  same  manner  as  other  town 
taxes,  except  that  each  assessment  may  be  paid  in  ten  equal  annual 
instalments,  with  interest  annually  at  the  rate  of  five  per  cent  on 
the  amount  unpaid,  or  in  one  instalment,  at  the  option  of  the 
owner  of  the.  property  assessed ;  but  the  owner  may,  at  any  time, 
pay  the  entire  amount  unpaid  with  interest  to  the  date  of  pay- 
ment. The  amount  remaining  unpaid  upon  each  assessment  shall 
each  year  be  added  in  like  manner  to  the  assessment-roll.  All 
moneys  collected  upon  such  assessment  shall  be  paid  to  the  county 


APPENDIX.  151 

treasurer  and  held  by  him  as  a  separate  fund  for  the  payment  of  all 
claims  arising  from  the  construction  or  improvement  of  such  road. 

SEC.  7.  Issue  of  bonds.  —  The  board  of  supervisors  of  any 
county  may  borrow  money,  from  time  to  time,  for  the  construction 
and  maintenance  of  roads  built  under  this  act,  and  may  issue  bonds 
or  other  evidences  of  indebtedness  of  the  county  therefor,  which 
shall  be  under  the  official  seart  of  the  county  treasurer,  and  signed 
by  the  chairman  of  the  board  of  supervisors.  Such  bonds  or  other 
evidences  of  indebtedness  shall  bear  a  rate  of  interest  not  exceed- 
ing five  per  cent  per  annum,  shall  not  be  for  a  longer  period  than 
fifty  years,  nor  be  sold  for  less  than  par.  But  the  amount  of  such 
bonds  or  evidences  of  indebtedness  issued  by  any  county  for  the 
purposes  of  this  act  shall  not  exceed  three  per  cent  of  the  assessed 
valuation  of  the  real  and  personal  estate  subject  to  taxation  in  such 
county. 

SEC.  7.   This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

PROPOSED  STATE    AID    IN    PENNSYLVANIA. 
ONE  MILLION  DOLLARS  ANNUALLY. 

[Extract  from  the  report  of  a  commission  composed  of  three  senators,  five 
members  of  the  house,  and  five  citizens,  appointed  by  the  governor  — 
1891.] 

Your  commission  desire  to  say  that  in  formulating  a  bill  they 
have  not  attempted  to  give  you  one  that  will  place  the  manage- 
ment, construction,  and  repairs  of  the  roads,  highways,  and  bridges 
of  the  Commonwealth  on  the  highest  and  most  scientific  plan,  but 
that  they  have  endeavored  to  give  you  one  that  they  believe  will 
be,  if  enacted  into  a  law,  a  long  stride  in  advance  of  the  present 
system. 

They  believe,  at  the  same  time,  that  it  will  not  be  so  far  in  ad- 
vance that  the  people  will  not  adopt  it. 

Your  commission  has  constantly  kept  in  view  the  fact  that  in  all 
reforms  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  move  in  a  conservative  way, 
and  thus  create  sentiments  that  will  in  the  end  produce  the  best 
results. 

In  the  bill  your  commission  herewith  present  to  you,  they  have 
preserved  the  township  as  a  unit,  believing  that  the  people  will 


152  APPENDIX. 

never  surrender  the  township  government,  as  it  is  the  basis  of  our 
State  organization. 

The  bill  provides<  for  three  supervisors  to  be  elected  in  each 
township  for  the  term  of  three  years,  one  of  whom  shall  be  elected 
each  year,  and  they,  like  our  school  directors,  to  serve  without 
compensation. 

These  supervisors  are  to  have  charge  of  the  making  and  repair- 
ing of  the  roads,  highways,  and  bridges,  the  appointing  of  road- 
masters,  and  the  fixing  of  their  compensation,  and  also  the  com- 
pensation of  the  laborers  under  them. 

Your  commission  believed  that  this  method  would,  in  a  large 
degree,  take  the  management  of  our  roads  out  of  politics,  and 
thereby  secure  the  very  best  men  as  supervisors,  and  enable  the 
road  master  to  carry  on  his  work  in  a  business-like  way. 

The  bill  provides  for  a  money  tax,  which  it  was  believed  would 
alone  result  in  a  reduction  of  at  least  one-half  in  the  road  tax  of 
every  township  and  at  the  same  time  give  better  roads. 

In  adopting  a  money  tax  no  citizen  of  the  township  who  honestly 
desires  to  work  out  his  road  tax  is  excluded  from  so  doing,  for  pro- 
vision has  been  made  whereby  preference  is  to  be  given  to  citizens 
of  the  township,  between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and  fifty-five,  and 
that  no  person  who  is  not  a  naturalized  citizen  can  be  employed 
upon  the  roads  of  any  township  in  the  Commonwealth. 

The  bill  further  provides  that  the  board  of  supervisors  of  a  town- 
ship may,  if  it  is  so  desired,  sell  the  repairing  of  the  roads  of  the 
township  to  the  lowest  bidder  or  bidders,  requiring  the  purchaser 
to  give  bonds  in  double  the  amount  of  the  purchase,  to  carry  out 
his  contract  under  the  specifications  laid  down  by  the  board  of 
supervisors. 

Your  commission  were  led  to  insert  this  provision  in  the  bill  to 
enable  those  townships  that  have  such  a  system  to  continue  the 
same,  and  to  authorize  other  townships  to  adopt  it  if  they  so 
desire. 

A  large  number  of  the  members  of  your  commission  believed 
that  by  the  selling  of  the  roads  for  repairs  there  would  be  a  great 
improvement  in  our  roads,  and,  at  the  same  time,  a  large  saving  in 
the  cost  thereof.  Your  commission  at  the  same  time  believed  that 
it  was  wise  to  allow  each  township  to  choose  either  plan,  as  in  the 
judgment  of  the  citizens  thereof  seemed  best.  Your  commission 


APPENDIX.  153 

fully  realized  the  depressed  condition  of  agriculture  at  the  present 
time,  and  the  over-heavy  burdens  the  farmers  of  the  Commonwealth 
are  now  bearing,  owing  to  the  unequal  taxation  under  our  present 
revenue  laws.  Your  commission  were  therefore  a  unit  in  believing 
that  if  there  were  to  be  substantial  and  permanent  improvements 
in  our  highways,  there  must  be  State  aid,  which  they  recommend. 
By  permanent  improvement  is  meant  the  use  of  stone,  brick, 
slag,  iron,  gravel,  wood,  or  other  lasting  material  conveniently  to 
be  had. 

Whilst  an  appropriation  clause  could  not  be  inserted  in  the  road 
bill,  your  commission  have  prepared  another  bill  providing  for  one 
million  dollars  annually,  to  be  distributed  to  the  townships  on  the 
basis  of  the  amount  of  road  tax  collected  in  each  township  the  pre- 
ceding year,  and  only  on  condition  that  the  township  shall  lay 
aside  twenty-five  per  cent  of  its  road  tax  annually  for  permanent 
improvements,  and  that  the  twenty-five  per  cent  shall,  together 
with  the  State  appropriation,  be  used  only  in  stone  or  other  per- 
manent improvements  of  certain  roads,  which  shall  be  designated 
highways. 

Your  commission  have  also  provided  for  the  election  by  each 
county  of  a  suitable  person,  to  be  styled  a  comity  engineer,  who 
shall  have  supervision  of  all  roads  on  which  State  money  is  ex- 
pended, and,  in  addition  to  that  authority,  shall  be  one  of  the 
jurymen  in  laying  out  of  new  roads,  and  the  changing  and  vacat- 
ing of  old  ones,  but  not  to  have  any  control  over  the  other  town- 
ship roads;  neither  has  he  the  power  to  expend  the  money  on  such 
roads. 

The  board  of  supervisors  has  the  power  to  make  the  contracts 
for  building  these  highways,  and  can  alone  expend  the  moneys 
received  from  the  State,  and  the  twenty-five  per  cent  of  the 
township  tax  added  thereto,  all  of  which  must  be  paid  into  the 
township  treasury,  and  over  which  the  county  engineer  has  no 
control  whatever. 

In  providing  for  a  county  engineer,  we  believed  it  to  be  abso- 
lutely necessary  that  the  State  should  be  protected  in  its  part  of  the 
work,  and  know  how  its  money  was  being  expended,  as  sacredly 
as  the  township. 

Whilst  the  provision  for  a  county  engineer  will  entail  the  cost  of 
another  salaried  officer,  they  were  led  to  believe  that  it  would  be  a 


154  APPENDIX. 

great  saving  to  the  township,  and  thus  save  the  counties  many 
thousands  of  dollars,  and  at  the  same  time  give  much  more  uni- 
formity to  our  roads,  and  the  making  of  the  same. 

Your  commission  believed  that  the  engineer  could  from  time  to 
time  hold  supervisors'  institutes  from  place  to  place  in  his  county, 
and  instruct  supervisors  and  roadmasters  in  reference  to  the  best 
methods  of  making  roads,  and  also  inform  them  of  the  progress 
being  made  in  other  parts  of  the  county,  and  thus  the  people 
would  become  interested  and  stimulated  to  make  more  improve- 
ments. 

To  protect  the  interests  of  the  people,  we  have  introduced  a 
section  making  it  a  penal  offence  for  any  supervisor  or  county 
engineer  to  be  interested,  directly  or  indirectly,  in  the  making  or 
repairing  of  roads,  highways  or  bridges,  or  in  the  sale  of  materials 
used. 

STATE   HIGHWAY   COMMISSION. 

LAW  OF  MASSACHUSETTS,  1893. 

[CHAPTER  476.] 

AN  ACT  to  provide  for  the  appointment  of  a  highway  commission  to 
improve  the  public  roads  and  to  define  its  powers  and  duties. 

Be  it  enacted,  etc.,  as  follows: 

Hghway  com-  SECTION  1.  The  governor,  with  the  advice  and  con- 
duties,  com-  sent  of  the  council,  shall,  within  thirty  days  after  the 
office,  e°tc.'  passage  of  this  act,  appoint  three  competent  persons 
to  serve  as  the  Massachusetts  Highway  Commission. 
Their  terms  of  office  shall  be  so  arranged  and  desig- 
nated at  the  time  of  their  appointment  that  the  term 
of  one  member  shall  expire  in  three  years,  one  in  two 
years,  and  one  in  one  year.  The  full  term  of  office 
thereafter  shall  be  for  three  years,  and  all  vacancies 
occurring  shall  be  filled  by  the  governor,  with  the 
advice  and  consent  of  the  council.  The  members  of 
said  board  may  be  removed  by  the  governor,  with  the 
advice  and  consent  of  the  council,  for  such  cause  as 
he  shall  deem  sufficient  and  shall  express  in  the  order 


APPENDIX.  155 

of  removal.  They  shall  each  receive  in  full  compen- 
sation for  their  services  an  annual  salary  of  two  thou- 
sand dollars,  payable  in  equal  monthly  instalments, 
and  also  their  travelling  expenses.  They  may  expend 
annually  for  clerk  hire,  engineers,  and  for  defraying 
expenses  incidental  to  and  necessary  for  the  perform- 
ance of  their  duties,  exclusive  of  office  rent,  the  sum 
of  two  thousand  dollars.  They  shall  be  provided  with 
an  office  in  the  State-house  or  some  other  suitable 
place  in  the  city  of  Boston,  in  which  the  records  of 
their  office  shall  be  kept.  They  may  establish  rules 
and  regulations  for  the  conduct  of  business  and  for 
carrying  out  the  provisions  of  this  act. 

SEC.  2.  They  shall  from  time  to  time  compile  sta-  statistics. 
tistics  relating  to  the  public  roads  of  cities,  towns, 
and  counties,  and  make  such  investigations  relating 
thereto  as  they  shall  deem  expedient.  They  may  be 
consulted  at  all  reasonable  times,  without  charge,  by 
officers  of  counties,  cities,  or  towns,  having  the  care  of 
and  authority  over  public  roads,  and  shall  without 
charge  advise  them  relative  to  the  construction,  repair, 
alteration,  or  maintenance  of  the  same ;  but  advice 
given  by  them  to  any  such  officers  shall  not  impair 
the  legal  duties  and  obligations  of  any  county,  city, 
or  town.  They  shall  prepare  a  map  or  maps  of  the  Map. 
Commonwealth,  on  which  shall  be  shown  county, 
city,  and  town  boundaries  and  also  the  public  roads, 
particularly  the  State  highways,  giving,  when  prac- 
ticable, the  names  of  the  same.  They  shall  collect 
and  collate  information,  concerning  the  geological 
formation  of  this  Commonwealth,  so  far  as  it  relates 
to  the  material  suitable  and  proper  for  road-building, 
and  shall,  so  far  as  practicable,  designate  on  said  map 
or  maps  the  location  of  such  material.  Such  map  or 
maps  shall  at  all  reasonable  times  be  open  for  the 
inspection  of  officers  of  counties,  cities,  and  towns 
having  the  care  of  and  authority  over  public  roads. 
They  shall  each  year  hold  at  least  one  public  meeting 
in  each  county  for  the  open  discussion  of  questions 


156 


APPENDIX. 


Information. 


relating  to  the  public  roads,  due  notice  of  which  shall 
be  given  in  the  press  or  otherwise. 

Annual  report.  SEC.  3.  They  shall  make  an  annual  report  to  the 
legislature  of  their  doings  and  the  expenditures  of 
their  office,  together  with  such  statements,  facts,  and 
explanations  bearing  upon  the  construction  and  main- 
tenance of  public  roads,  and  such  suggestions  and 
recommendations  as  to  the  general  policy  of  the  Com- 
monwealth in  respect  to  the  same,  as  may  seem  to 
them  appropriate.  Their  report  shall  be  transmitted 
to  the  secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  on  or  before 
the  first  AVednesday  in  January  of  each  year,  to  be 
laid  before  the  legislature.  All  maps,  plans,  and  sta- 
tistics collected  and  compiled  under  their  direction 
shall  be  preserved  in  their  office. 

SEC.  4.  County  commissioners  and  city  and  town 
officers  having  the  care  and  authority  over  public 
roads  and  bridges  throughout  the  Commonwealth 
shall,  on  request,  furnish  the  commissioners  any  in- 
formation required  by  them  concerning  the  roads  and 
bridges  within  their  jurisdiction. 

SEC.  5.  For  the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the  provi- 
sions of  this  act  said  commission  may  expend  such 
sums  for  necessary  assistants,  the  procuring  of  neces- 
sary supplies,  instruments,  material,  machinery,  and 
other  property,  and  for  the  construction  and  mainte- 
nance of  State  highways,  as  shall  from  time  to  time 
be  appropriated  by  the  legislature  ;  and  they  shall  in 
their  annual  report  state  what  sums  they  deem  neces- 
sary for  the  year  commencing  with  the  first  day  of 
March  following. 

SEC.  6.  Whenever  the  county  commissioners  of  a 
county  adjudge  that  the  common  necessity  and  con- 
venience require  that  the  Commonwealth  acquire  as 
a  State  highway  a  new  or  an  existing  road  in  that 
county,  they  may  apply  by  petition  in  writing  to  the 
Massachusetts  Highway  Commission,  stating  the  road 
they  recommend,  and  setting  forth  a  detailed  descrip- 
tion of  said  road  by  metes  and  bounds,  together  with 


Expenses. 


Acquisition  of 
new  State 
highways. 


APPENDIX.  157 

a  plan  and  profile  of  the  same.  Said  commission 
shall  consider  such  petition,  and  if  they  adjudge  that 
it  ought  to  be  allowed,  they  shall  in  writing  so  notify 
said  county  commissioners.  It  shall  then  become  the 
duty  of  said  county  commissioners  to  cause  said  road 
to  be  surveyed  and  laid  out  in  the  manner  provided 
for  the  laying  out  and  alteration  of  highways,  the 
entire  expense  thereof  to  be  borne  and  paid  by  said 
county.  Said  county  commissioners  shall  preserve  a 
copy  of  such  petition,  plans,  and  profiles  with  their 
record  for  public  inspection.  When  said  commission 
shall  be  satisfied  that  said  county  commissioners  have 
properly  surveyed  and  laid  out  said  road,  and  set  in 
place  suitable  monuments,  and  have  furnished  said 
commission  with  plans  and  profiles,  on  which  shall  be 
shown  such  monuments  and  established  grades,  in 
accordance  with  the  rules  and  regulations  of  said 
commission,  said  commission  may  approve  the  same, 
and  so  notify  in  writing  said  county  commissioners. 
Said  commission  shall  then  present  a  certified  copy  of 
said  petition,  on  which  their  approval  shall  be  indi- 
cated, together  with  their  estimates  for  constructing 
said  road  and  the  estimated  annual  cost  for  maintain- 
ing the  same,  to  the  secretary  of  the  Commonwealth, 
who  shall  at  once  lay  the  same  before  the  legislature, 
if  it  is  in  session,  otherwise  on  the  second  Wednesday 
of  January  following.  If  the  legislature  makes  appro- 
priation for  constructing  said  road,  said  commission 
shall  cause  said  road  to  be  constructed  in  accordance 
with  this  act,  and  when  completed  and  approved  by 
them  said  road  shall  become  a  State  highway,  and 
thereafter  be  maintained  by  the  Commonwealth  under 
the  supervision  of  said  commission. 

SEC.  7.    Two  or  more  cities  or  towns  may  petition   Proceedings  in 
the  said  commission  representing  that," in  their  opin-   gtatehighway. 
ion,  the  common  necessity  and  convenience  require 
that  the  Commonwealth  should  acquire  as   a  State 
highway  a  new  or  an  existing  road  leading  from  one 
city  or  town  to  another,  which  petition  shall  be  accom- 


158  APPENDIX. 

panied  by  a  detailed  description  of  such  road  bv  metes 
and  bounds,  and  also  a  plan  and  profile  of  the  same. 
If  said  commission  adjudge  that  the  common  neces- 
sity and  convenience  require  such  road  to  be  laid  out 
and  acquired  as  a  State  highway,  they  shall  cause  a 
copy  of  said  petition,  on  which  shall  be  their  finding, 
to  be  given  to  the  county  commissioners  of  the  county 
in  which  said  road  or  any  portion  of  it  lies.  It  shall 
then  become  the  duty  of  the  county  commissioners,  at 
the  expense  of  the  county,  to  cause  said  road  to  be 
surveyed  and  laid  out,  and  to  set  in  place  suitable 
monuments,  and  to  cause  a  detailed  description  by 
metes  and  bounds,  plans  and  profiles,  to  be  made,  on 
which  shall  be  shown  said  monuments  and  established 
grades,  and  to  give  the  same  to  said  commission  ;  but 
said  county  commissioners  shall  have  the  right  to 
change  the  line  of  said  road,  provided  the  termini  are 
substantially  the  same.  Said  county  commissioners 
shall  preserve  said  petition  and  a  copy  of  the  plans 
and  profiles,  with  their  records,  for  public  inspection. 
When  said  commission  shall  be  satisfied  that  the 
county  commissioners  have  properly  surveyed  and  laid 
out  said  road  and  set  in  place  suitable  monuments, 
and  have  furnished  them  with  plans  and  profiles  on 
which  shall  be  shown  said  monuments  and  established 
grades,  in  accordance  with  the  rules  and  regulations 
of  said  commission,  they  shall  then  proceed  in  the 
same  manner  as  provided  in  section  six  of  this  act ; 
and  when  said  road  is  completed  and  approved  by  said 
commission  it  shall  become  a  State  highway,  and  there- 
after be  maintained  by  the  Commonwealth  under  the 
supervision  of  said  commission. 

Cost  of  con-  SEC.  8.    In  all  cases  where  a  highway  is  to  be  con- 

paid?  10n>  ° V  structed  at  the  expense  of  the  Commonwealth  as  a 
State  highway,  all  the  grading  necessary  to  make  said 
highway  of  the  established  grade,  and  the  construc- 
tion of  culverts  and  bridges,  shall  be  paid  for  by  the 
county  or  counties,  respectively,  in  which  said  high- 
way or  any  portion  of  it  lies,  and  the  work  must  be 


APPENDIX.  159 

done  to  the  satisfaction  of  said  commission.  No  action 
by  a  person  claiming  damage  for  the  taking  of  land 
or  change  of  grade,  under  the  provisions  of  this  act, 
shall  be  commenced  against  a  county  until  said  com- 
mission has  taken  possession  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
structing such  State  highway. 

SEC.  9.  When  appropriation  has  been  made  by  the  Commission 
legislature  for  the  construction  of  a  State  highway, 
said  commission  shall  at  once  cause  plans  and  specifi- 
cations to  be  made,  and  estimate  the  cost  of  the  con- 
struction of  such  State  highway,  and  give  to  each  city 
and  town  in  which  said  road  lies,  a  certified  copy  of 
said  plans  and  specifications,  with  a  notice  that  said 
commission  is  ready  for  the  construction  of  said  road. 
Such  city  or  town  shall  have  the  right,  without  adver- 
tisement, to  contract  with  said  commission  for  the 
construction  of  so  much  of  suck  highway  as  lies  within 
its  limits,  in  accordance  with  the  plans  and  specifica- 
tions of  the  commission  and  under  its  supervision  and 
subject  to  its  approval,  at  a  price  agreed  upon  between 
said  commission  and  said  city  or  town  ;  but  such  price 
agreed  upon  shall  not  exceed  eighty-five  per  cent  of 
the  original  estimate  of  said  commission.  If  such  city 
or  town  shall  within  thirty  days  not  elect  to  so  con- 
tract, said  commission  may  advertise  in  one  or  more 
papers  published  in  the  county  where  the  road  or  a  por- 
tion of  it  is  situated,  and  in  one  or  more  papers  pub- 
lished in  Boston,  for  bids  for  the  construction  of  said 
highway  in  accordance  with  the  plans  and  specifica- 
tions furnished  by  said  commission,  and  under  their 
supervision  and  subject  to  their  approval.  Said  com- 
mission shall  have  the  right  to  reject  any  and  all  bids, 
and  they  shall  require  of  the  contractor  a  bond  for  at 
least  ten  thousand  dollars  for  each  mile  of  road,  to 
indemnify  such  city  or  town  in  which  such  highway 
lies  against  damage  while  such  road  is  being  con- 
structed, and  the  Commonwealth  shall  not  be  liable 
for  any  damage  occasioned  thereby.  Said  commission 
shall  make  and  sign  all  contracts  in  the  name  of  the 
Massachusetts  Highway  Commission. 


160 


APPENDIX. 


Approved. 


Removal  of 
buildings. 


Repairs.  SEC.  10.   For  the  maintenance  of  State  highways, 

said  commission  shall  contract  with  the  city  or  town 
in  which  such  State  highway  lies,  or  a  person,  firm, 
or  corporation,  for  the  keeping  in  repair  and  main- 
taining of  such  highway,  in  accordance  with  the  rules 
and  regulations  of  said  commission  and  subject  to 
their  supervision  and  approval,  and  such  contracts 
may  be  made  without  previous  advertisement. 

SEC.  11.  All  contracts  made  by  or  with  the  Massa- 
chusetts Highway  Commission  under  the  provisions 
of  this  act  shall  be  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  gov- 
ernor and  council. 

SEC.  12.  Xo  length  of  possession  or  occupancy  of 
land  within  the  limit  of  any  State  highway,  by  an 
owner  or  occupier  of  adjoining  land,  shall  create  a 
right  to  such  land  in  any  adjoining  owner  or  occupant 
or  a  person  claiming  under  him,  and  any  fences,  build- 
ings, sheds,  or  other  obstructions  encroaching  upon 
such  State  highway  shall,  upon  written  notice  by  said 
commission,  at  once  be  removed  by  the  owner  or  occu- 
pier of  adjoining  land,  and  if  not  so  removed  said 
commission  may  cause  the  same  to  be  done  and  may 
remove  the  same  upon  the  adjoining  land  of  such 
owner  or  occupier. 

Injuries.  SEC.  13.   The  Commonwealth  shall  be  liable  for  in- 

juries to  persons  or  property  occurring  through  a  de- 
fect or  want  of  repair  or  of  sufficient  railing  in  or  upon 
a  State  highway. 

Jurisdiction.  SEC.  14.  Cities  and  towns  shall  have  police  juris- 
diction over  all  State  highways,  and  they  shall  at  once 
notify  in  writing  the  State  commission  or  its  employes 
of  any  defect  or  want  of  repair  in  such  highways.  Xo 
State  highway  shall  be  dug  up  for  laying  or  placing 
pipes,  sewers,  posts,  wires,  railways,  or  other  purposes, 
and  no  tree  shall  be  planted  or  removed  or  obstruction 
placed  thereon,  except  by  the  written  consent  of  the 
superintendent  of  streets  or  road  commissioners  of  a 
city  or  town,  approved  by  the  highway  com  mission, 
and  then  only  in  accordance  with  the  rules  and  regu- 


APPENDIX.  161 

lations  of  said  commission ;  and  in  all  cases  the  work 
shall  be  executed  under  the  supervision  and  to  the  sat- 
isfaction of  said  commission,  and  the  entire  expense 
of  replacing  the  highway  in  as  good  condition  as  be- 
fore shall  be  paid  by  the  parties  to  whom  the  consent 
was  given  or  by  whom  the  work  was  done ;  but  a  city 
or  town  shall  have  the  right  to  dig  up  such  State  high- 
way without  such  approval  of  the  highway  commis- 
sion where  immediate  necessity  demands  it,  but  in  all 
such  cases  such  highway  shall  be  at  once  replaced  in 
as  good  condition  as  before,  and  at  the  expense  of  the 
city  or  town.  Said  commission  shall  give  suitable 
names  to  the  State  highways,  and  they  shall  have  the 
right  to  change  the  name  of  any  road  that  shall  have 
become  a  part  of  a  State  highway.  They  shall  cause 
to  be  erected,  at  convenient  points  along  State  high- 
ways, suitable  guide  posts. 

S*;c.  15.   The  word  "  road,"  as  used  in  this  act,  in-   Koad  defined, 
eludes  every  thoroughfare  which  the  public  has  a  right 
to  use. 

SEC.  16.   This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,   in  effect. 

Approved  June  10,  1893. 

STATE  ENGINEER  DEPARTMENT. 
LAW  PROPOSED  BY  THE  MARYLAND  ROAD  LEAGUE. 

SECTION  1.  There  shall  be  appointed  by  the  governor  of  this 
State,  with  the  consent  and  approval  of  the  senate,  on  March  1, 
1894,  and  every  fourth  year  thereafter,  an  expert  engineer,  to  be 
the  State  road  and  highway  engineer,  who  shall  hold  his  office  for 
the  term  of  four  years  or  until  his  successor  is  appointed. 

SEC.  2.  He  shall  receive  a  salary  of  $5000  per  annum,  shall 
give  bond  for  the  faithful  discharge  of  his  duties  in  the  amount 
of  $5000,  and  shall  pay  over  all  moneys,  papers,  etc.,  at  the  expi- 
ration of  his  term  or  when  ordered  by  the  governor. 

SEC.  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  attorney-general,  at  the 
request  of  the  governor,  to  give  his  counsel  and  opinion  to  such 
officer. 


162  APPENDIX. 

SEC.  4.  He  shall  be  provided  with  suitable  offices  and  working 
equipment,  and  is  hereby  empowered  to  employ  such  engineers, 
clerks,  and  other  assistants,  at  such  salaries  as  the  board  of  public 
works  may,  upon  his  application,  approve. 

SEC.  5.  He  shall  submit  to  the  governor  on  or  before  January  1, 
1896,  and  every  two  years  thereafter,  a  report  upon  the  state  of 
the  roads  and  bridges  in  the  State  and  the  best  methods  of  con- 
structing and  maintaining  the  same,  with  estimates  of  cost,  ex- 
penses, etc.,  and  shall  suggest  some  general  plan  of  administration 
thereof,  either  by  the  State  or  counties,  or  jointly,  or  such  changes 
in  the  present  methods  as  may  recommend  themselves  to  him. 

SEC.  6.  He  shall  further,  upon  the  application  of  any  of  the 
county  boards  of  highways  and  bridges  herein  provided  for,  give 
them  the  benefit  of  his  advice,  counsel,  and  assistance,  either  in 
person  or  by  deputy. 

SEC.  7.  He  shall  further,  upon  the  application  of  any  such 
board,  detail  an  assistant  engineer  to  assist  it  in  its  work  for  such 
time  as  may  be  proper,  provided  all  the  expenses  incurred  by 
such  assistant  in  such  work  over  and  above  his  personal  expenses 
and  salary  shall  be  paid  for  by  such  board. 

SEC.  8.  He  is  further  empowered,  with  the  approval  of  the 
board  of  public  works,  to  purchase  stone-breaking  machines,  to 
set  them  up  at  convenient  points,  and  to  supply  stone  to  the 
county  boards  at  cost  price. 

SEC.  9.  He  shall  render  to  the  governor,  legislature,  and  board 
of  public  works  such  other  services  as  they  may  require. 

SEC.  10.  He  shall  keep  a  record  of  all  his  proceedings  and  an 
account  of  all  money  received  and  spent  and  for  what  purpose, 
which  record  and  account  he  shall  furnish  to  the  governor  on  the 
1st  day  of  July  each  and  every  year ;  such  records  and  accounts, 
however,  to  be  always  open  to  the  inspection  of  the  governor  or 
any  committee  of  the  legislature. 

SEC.  11.  All  moneys  paid  out  on  account  of  this  department 
shall  be  paid  out  by  the  State  treasurer  upon  the  order  of  the 
State  engineer,  indorsed  by  the  comptroller. 

SEC.  12.  The  sum  of  $25,000  per  annum,  or  so  much  thereof  as 
may  be  needed,  is  hereby  appropriated  out  of  any  funds  in  the 
treasury  for  the  use  of  this  department. 


APPENDIX. 


168 


FREE    ROAD   MATERIALS   BY  CONVICT 
LABOR. 

(1)   LAWS   OF   DELAWARE,   CHAPTER  670,  1893. 


Within  two  years  from  and  after  the  passage  of 
this  act  the  Levy  Court  of  New  Castle  county  are 
authorized  and  directed  to  secure,  by  purchase  or  con- 
demnation, as  hereinafter  provided,  a  stone  quarry 
along  the  route  or  within  convenient  reach  of  a  rail- 
road in  New  Castle  county,  the  stone  in  said  quarry 
to  be  of  a  character  suitable  for  being  broken  into 
macadam.  That  the  said  Levy  Court,  within  the 
time  specified,  shall  advertise  for  bids  and  proposals 
and  grant  to  the  lowest  and  best  bidder  the  contract 
for  the  building  of  a  suitable  structure  for  confining 
prisoners,  the  same  not  to  exceed  in  cost  the  sum  of 
twenty  thousand  dollars. 

SECTION  2.  It  shall  be  and  may  be  lawful  for  any 
court  in  New  Castle  county,  having  competent  juris- 
diction in  the  matters  of  obtaining  money  under  false 
pretences,  pointing  a  deadly  weapon,  carrying  con- 
cealed a  deadly  weapon,  gambling,  lottery,  policy 
writing,  assault  and  battery,  assaults,  drunkenness,  dis- 
orderly conduct,  and  vagrancy,  and  of  such  other  crimes 
the  punishment  for  which,  in  the  discretion  of  the 
court  passing  sentence,  should  be  hard  labor,  to  sen- 
tence any  male  person  or  persons  convicted  as  afore- 
said to  imprisonment  in  the  workhouse  of  New  Castle 
county  at  hard  labor  in  the  quarry  aforesaid,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  penalties  prescribed  by  law  ;  provided  nev- 
ertheless that  such  imprisonment  at  hard  labor,  for 
drunkenness,  disorderly  conduct,  and  vagrancy  shall 
not  exceed  sixty  days. 

SECTION  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  superintend- 
ent of  the  workhouse  hereinafter  provided  for  to 
receive  all  persons  who  may  be  sentenced  under  the 


Levy  Court  of 
New  Castle 
county  author- 
ized to  secure 
a  stone  quarry. 


Location  of. 


Shall  contract 
for  a  building 
to  confine 
prisoners. 

Cost  of. 


Courts  in  New 
Castle  county 
may  commit 
certain  offend- 
ers to  work- 
house at  hard 
labor  in  stone 
quarry. 


Imprisonment 
for  drunken 

ness,  etc.,  not 
to  exceed 
sixty  days. 

Duty  of  super- 
intendent of 
workhouse. 


164 


APPENDIX. 


Who  to  be 
deemed  va- 
grants under 
this  act. 


Eight  hours  a 
day's  work. 


Working 
hours. 


No  exemption 
from  labor 
except  for 
physical  in- 
ability. 
Management 
of  refractory 
prisoners. 


Action  of 
superintend- 
ent to  be  re- 
ported to  jail 
commission 


Duty  of  jail 
commission- 
ers respecting 
government  of 
workhouse. 


Condemnation 
of  quarry ; 


provisions  of  Section  2  of  this  act  and  keep  them  at 
hard  labor  as  herein  provided. 

SECTION  4.  That  all  beggars  and  vagabonds  who 
roam  about  from  place  to  place,  without  any  lawful 
business  or  occupation,  sleeping  in  outhouses,  barns, 
market  places,  sheds,  and  in  the  open  air,  and  not 
giving  a  good  account  of  themselves,  shall  be  deemed 
vagrants  and  liable  to  the  penalties  of  this  act. 

SECTION  5.  Eight  hours  shall  constitute  a  day's 
work  at  hard  labor,  and  such  hard  labor  shall  be  per- 
formed between  the  hours  of  eight  o'clock  in  the 
morning  and  five  o'clock  in  the  evening.  No  person 
sentenced  under  this  act  shall  be  exempt  from  said 
labor  except  through  physical  inability  properly  cer- 
tified to  the  superintendent  of  the  workhouse  by  the 
jail  physician.  Should  any  prisoners  prove  refractory 
and  stubborn,  and  refuse  to  work  or  perform  his  or 
their  work  in  a  proper  manner,  the  superintendent  of 
the  workhouse  shall  have  power  to  place  such  pris- 
oner or  prisoners  in  solitary  confinement,  there  to  be 
kept  on  bread  and  water  until  he  or  they  shall  submit 
to  perform  his  or  their  tasks  and  to  obey  his  orders. 
Every  action  of  the  superintendent  under  this  section 
shall  be  reported  immediately  to  the  jail  commission- 
ers, who  shall  have  power  to  revise  the  same. 

SECTION  12.  The  commissioners  of  the  jail  and 
workhouse  shall  have  power  to  make  rules  for  the 
government  of  the  workhouse  and  all  persons  con- 
nected therewith,  for  the  cleanliness  and  health  of  the 
prisoners,  and  for  the  employment  of  convicts ;  they 
shall  have  power  to  order  fuel  and  bedding,  to  furnish 
working  tools,  materials,  and  fixtures  for  the  work- 
house, and,  when  directed  by  the  levy  court,  they  may 
purchase  such  stone-breaking  machinery  as  the  said 
levy  court  may  deem  proper  and  expedient,  and  to 
erect  such  buildings  and  walls  as  may  be  ordered  by 
the  levy  court. 

SECTION  13.  Should  the  levy  court  fail  to  secure 
the  quarry  aforesaid  by  purchase,  then  they  shall  pro- 


APPENDIX.  165 

ceed  to  secure  some  suitable  quarry  by  applying  to  the 
Court  of  General  Sessions  of  the  Peace  and  Jail  Deliv- 
ery of  the  State  of  Delaware  in  and  for  New  Castle 
county  for  the  appointment  of  five  suitable  persons, 
who  shall  go  upon  and  view  the  premises  selected  by 
the  levy  court  aforesaid  and  proceed  to  condemn  the 
same  under  the  law  and  in  the  manner  provided  for 
the  condemnation  of  land  for  road  or  county  purposes 
in  Chapter  60,  Revised  Code  of  the  State  of  Delaware. 

SECTION  14.    The  stone  shall  be  broken  so  that  it   sto,ne>  how 

broken. 

can  be  used  for  road  macadam.  The  stone  so  broken 
shall  be  divided  among  the  several  hundreds  of  New 
Castle  county  making  demand  therefor  and  upon  pay- 
ment by  such  hundreds  of  the  costs  of  transportation. 

The  division  shall  be  made  in  the  following  manner,    How  divided 
that  is  to  say  :  should  the  supply  exceed  the  demands   hSreds? 
of  the  several  hundreds,  the  said  hundreds  shall  be 
entitled  to  receive  any  quantity  that  may  be  ordered 
by  the  road  commissioners  thereof,  or  the  street  and 
sewer  department  of  the  City  of  Wilmington,  and  the 
transportation  paid  therefor,  and  if  in  the  judgment 
of  the  commissioners  of  the  jail  and  workhouse  the 
supply  of  stone  is  much  in  excess  of  the  demand,  they    General  pro- 

r  J  J     visions  in  rela- 

may,  after  sufficient  advertisement,  sell  the  same  or  a  tion  to  distri- 
part  thereof  at  public  sale,  and  turn  over  the  proceeds  broken  stone. 
therefrom  to  the  receiver  of  taxes  and  county  treasurer 
of  New  Castle  county.  Should  the  demand  for  stone 
from  the  several  hundreds  be  greater  than  the  supply, 
the  stone  shall  then  be  equally  divided  between  the 
several  hundreds,  car  load  at  a  time,  until  the  orders 
of  the  several  hundreds  are  filled  and  the  [supply]  of 
stone  exhausted.  The  superintendent  of  the  work- 
house shall  superintend  and  manage  the  breaking  of 
stone,  the  loading  of  cars,  and  the  filling  of  orders  of 
the  several  hundreds,  or  purchasers  at  public  sale ; 
and  he  shall  receive  all  payment  therefor,  and  settle 
with  the  county  treasurer  on  the  first  Monday  of 
every  month;  such  settlements  shall  be  audited  by 
the  comptroller  of  accounts  of  New  Castle  county. 


166  APPENDIX. 

How  stone  SECTION  15.   The  road  commissioners  of  any  hun- 

pHed  to  streets    dred  m  -^ew  Castle  county,  or  street  and  sewer  depart- 
men*  °f  the  City  of  Wilmington,  making  demands  for 


mington  and  stone  and  receiving  the  same,  shall  select  one  certain 
sioners  of  the  road  in  their  hundred  to  improve,  and  they  shall  com- 
dred^1111111  plete  the  improvements  thereon  before  stone  is  put 
upon  any  other  road.  The  road  shall  be  graded, 
macadamized,  piked,  or  otherwise  improved  by  means 
of  stone,  for  a  width  of  at  least  twelve  feet,  whenever 
such  improvement  may  be  required  to  keep  the  same 
constantly  in  good  condition.  The  improvement  of 
the  roads  by  means  of  stone,  as  aforesaid,  shall  be,  as 
far  as  practicable,  continuous  along  the  entire  length 
of  the  road. 

(2)   PROPOSED  LAW  IN  IOWA. 

(From  The  Clinton  Age.) 

Senator  Green  has  a  new  plan  for  bettering  the  roads  of  the  State 
which  is  proposed  in  a  bill  introduced  by  him.  He  proposes 
that  rock  for  macadamizing  the  roads  and  streets  of  the  State 
shall  be  furnished  from  the  State  quarry  at  Anamosa.  The  stone 
is  to  be  quarried  by  the  convicts,  broken  into  proper  size  and 
loaded  on  cars  by  them  and  furnished  free  of  charge  to  cities 
and  townships  whose  council  or  trustees  will  pay  the  freight. 
This,  according  to  the  senator's  idea,  will  not  only  furnish  material 
for  the  construction  of  magnificent  roads,  but  will  also  give  ample 
employment  for  the  State's  convict  labor. 

Not  the  least  important  feature  of  the  senator's  bill  is  the  taking 
of  convict  labor  out  of  competition  with  paid  labor.  The  Age  has 
often  declared  it  were  better  that  prisoners  should  be  employed 
to  do  a  kind  of  work  one  day  and  undo  it  the  next,  rather  than 
to  engage  in  any  business  which  came  in  competition  wTith  paid 
labor.  We  believe  that  Senator  Green's  plan  would  wrork  admi- 
rably, and  that  the  railroads  would  haul  the  material  at  or  below 
cost.  The  railroads  of  Iowa  have  already  shown  a  disposition 
to  co-operate  with  the  people  in  carrying  out  any  practical  plan  of 
permanent  road-building.  We  hope  the  Green  bill  will  become 
a  law.  We  do  not  know  how  the  prisoners  are  employed,  but 
we  do  know  that  every  labor  organization  in  the  State  ought 
to  immediately  pass  resolutions  favoring  the  Green  bill. 


LIST   OF   BOOKS 

ON 

ROADS  AND  ROAD-MAKING 

FOR  SALE  BY 

D.    VAN    NOSTRAND    COMPANY. 


BURKE  (M.  1).).    Brick  for  Street  Pavements.     8vo,  paper, 

illustrated.     1892 $      50 

BYRNE  (Austin  T.).  A  Treatise  on  Highway  Construction. 
Designed  as  a  Text-book  and  a  Work  of  Reference  for  all 
who  may  be  engaged  in  the  Location,  Construction,  or 
Maintenance  of  Roads,  Streets,  and  Pavements.  8vo,  cloth. 
Second  revised  and  enlarged  edition.  1893 5  00 

CHASE    (C.  P.).     Brick  Pavement.     The   Inauguration   and 

Execution  of  the  Work.     12mo,  paper,  illustrated.     1891    .      1  00 

CODRINGTON  (Thos.).  The  Maintenance  of  Macadamized 
Roads.  2d  edition,  revised  and  enlarged.  8vo,  cloth. 
1892  .  ., 3  00 

GILLESPIE  (W.  M.).  Manual  of  the  Principles  and  Practice 
of  Road-Making.  10th  edition,  with  large  addenda.  Ed- 
ited by  Cady  Staloy.  12mo,  cloth.  1871 250 

1 


BOOKS   ON  ROADS  AND   ROAD-MAKING. 

GILLMORE  (Genl.  Q.  A.).  Practical  Treatise  on  Roads, 
Streets,  and  Pavements.  70  illustrations.  12mo,  cloth. 
Eighth  edition.  1892 $2  00 

HAUPT  (Prof.  L.  M.).  A  Move  for  Better  Roads.  Essays 
on  Road-Making  and  Maintenance,  and  Road  Laws.  8vo, 
cloth.  1891 2  00 

HERSCHEL  (C.)  and  NORTH  (E.  P.).  The  Science  of  Road- 
Making,  by  C.  Herschel.  Construction  and  Maintenance  of 
Roads,  by  E.  P.  North.  8vo,  cloth.  1890 50 

JENKS   (J.  W.).     Road  Legislation  for  the  American  State. 

8vo.  paper.     1889 75 

LAW  (Henry)  and  CLARK  (D.  K.).  The  Construction  of 
Roads  and  Streets.  Part  I.  The  Art  of  Constructing  Com- 
mon Roads.  Part  II.  Recent  Practice  in  the  Construction 
of  Roads  and  Streets,  including  Pavements  of  Stone,  Wood, 
and  Asphalt.  Illustrated.  1887 1  80 

LOVE  (E.  S.).     Pavements  and  Roads.     Their  Construction 

and  Maintenance.     8vo,  cloth.     1890 5  00 

MATTHEWSON  (L.  W.).    City  Streets.     How  to  build  Them 

and  Why.     12mo,  paper.     1890 25 

ROAD  CONSTRUCTION  AND  MAINTENANCE.  Prize  Es- 
says reprinted  from  "The  Engineering  Record."  12mo, 
cloth,  illustrated.  1892 1  00 

SINSABAUGH  (L.  W.).  Digest  of  United  States  Patents  for 
Paving  and  Roofing  Compositions  to  January  1,  1875,  and 
English  Paving  Compositions  to  January  1,  1874.  8vo, 
half  bound.  1875 10  00 

WILKINS  (Genl.  H.  St.  Clair).  A  Treatise  on  Mountain 
Roads,  Live  Roads,  and  Bridges,  with  numerous  plates. 

8 vo,  cloth.     1880 550 

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